Packers won't put QB Jordan Love (knee) on IR - ESPN

GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Green Bay Packers do not plan to put quarterback Jordan Love on injured reserve, which means they think the recovery from his left knee injury will be on the shorter end of the timeline. In the meantime, they will prepare the recently acquired Malik Willis to be their starting quarterback on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts.

Green Bay traded a seventh-round draft pick to the Tennessee Titans for Willis the day before final roster cuts last month. If he starts Sunday's home opener at Lambeau Field, he will do so just 20 days after he joined the Packers.

Willis served as the backup in Friday's season-opening loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil and took the final two snaps — an incompletion and a sack — after Love sustained a sprained MCL in his left knee with 6 seconds left in the 34-29 loss.

The only other quarterback currently with the team is Sean Clifford, who served as Love's backup last season but is now on the practice squad. The Packers can use a game-day elevation to activate Clifford for the game without adding him to the 53-man roster.

«Yeah, if Jordan's not cleared, then we'll start Malik and Sean will be the backup,» Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Monday.

«Why Malik over Sean? Because Malik's on the roster and he's our No. 2 quarterback and that's the way we're going to roll.»

LaFleur also said the Packers have no plans to sign a veteran quarterback from the outside.

Willis has made three career NFL starts — all in 2022 as a rookie third-round pick — and the Titans went 1-2 in those games. In the lone victory, which came over the Houston Texans, Willis threw just 10 passes, completing six for 55 yards with no touchdowns and an interception. Both of the Titans' touchdowns in