Former Packers Quarterback Signs With Upcoming Opponent

Could Clifford play against Green Bay? Perhaps but probably not. He is the least experienced in terms of game reps of the Bengals’ quarterback quartet.

Browning: Is one of the better backups in the NFL. An undrafted free agent in 2019 who spent his first two seasons on Minnesota’s practice squad, he started seven games for the Bengals in 2023. He posted a 4-3 record, and led the NFL with a 70.4 completion percentage and posted a 98.4 passer rating. Including 32 attempts in relief of Burrow last week, Browning has thrown 360 passes in his career. In 13 career games, he’s completed 69.8 percent of his passes for 2,177 yards with 14 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a 95.1 rating.

Rypien: Has played in 10 games in his career, including a 2-2 record as a starter. In 168 career pass attempts, he has completed 58.3 percent of his passes for 950 yards with four touchdowns, nine interceptions and a 59.9 passer rating. He did not play in a game last season. His last career action came when he started for the Rams at the Packers in 2023. He was 13-of-28 passing for 130 yards and one interception as Green Bay won 20-3.

White: Was a fifth-round pick in 2018. He’s played in 15 career games and is 2-5 as a starter – 1-2 with the Jets in 2021 and 1-3 with the Jets in 2022. In his first career start, he threw for 405 yards and three touchdowns in a victory over Cincinnati. In 324 career passing attempts, he’s completed 61.4 percent of his passes for 2,247 yards with eight touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a 75.4 rating. He was 3-of-11 last year or Buffalo.  

Clifford: Was a fifth-round pick in 2023 but has not thrown a pass in a regular-season game. As a rookie, he served as Jordan Love’s primary backup. In two games, he took a knee three times for a loss of 2 yards. He spent last season on the practice squad.

“I think that I’m a really good quarterback,” Clifford said after the final preseason game. “I’m really proud of the work that I put in with Green Bay so far. I’m very positive and I’m very confident about my abilities. So, we’ll see what happens.”

During his rookie preseason, Clifford completed 20-of-26 passes for 208 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions at Cincinnati.

Clifford, of course, serves a dual purpose. Assuming he sticks around, he can share a significant amount of intel about Green Bay’s offense and defense to help the Bengals get ready for the Oct. 12 matchup against the Packers.

“Year 1, you're kind of just out there just running plays,” Clifford said during camp. “Sometimes you don't know the rhyme or reason and you're just kind of going out there trying to produce whatever you can. Year 2, for me personally and I think for a lot of quarterbacks, it's a year of overthinking. You know everything now and now you're thinking too much and it's going to make you slow on reads, slow to say yes to something.

“And then Year 3 I think is a perfect combination of all those things. Gutey [general manager Brian Gutekunst] is one that even says that, Year 3 is one where you should see a major spike and I feel like in the games I've gotten into so far, I've felt extremely comfortable.”

Speaking of quarterback intel, the Packers worked out former Browns quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson on Monday. A fifth-round pick by Cleveland in 2023, he spent two seasons with the Browns and spent training camp this year with the Eagles.

The Packers will play the Browns this week and the Eagles later in the season.

As of Tuesday morning, however, it appears the Packers are sticking with Clayton Tune as their practice-squad quarterback.