The Green Bay Packers might be looking for their next quarterback project-and Taylen Green could be the name to watch.
As the 2026 offseason gets rolling, the Packers are bracing for life without Malik Willis. Jordan Love is firmly entrenched as the starter, but Willis, who quietly developed into a viable NFL option under Matt LaFleur’s tutelage, is likely headed elsewhere. With teams like the Dolphins potentially in the market for a quarterback and willing to pay starter money, Green Bay simply won’t be able to match that for a backup.
So now comes the next phase in the Packers’ QB pipeline: finding the next developmental gem. And if history tells us anything, LaFleur and GM Brian Gutekunst won’t shy away from taking a swing late in the draft.
Enter Taylen Green, the big-armed, mobile quarterback out of Arkansas. According to recent mock draft chatter, Green is a name to watch in the seventh round-exactly the kind of low-risk, high-upside pick the Packers have shown a willingness to make.
Green is raw, no doubt. At the Senior Bowl, scouts noted he was quick to drop his eyes and take off when pressure came, a sign that his pocket presence still needs polish.
But when he let it rip, he showed off a cannon of an arm-launching deep balls that had scouts taking notice. That blend of athleticism and arm strength is hard to ignore, especially for a team like Green Bay that has a track record of grooming quarterbacks with tools.
Sound familiar? It should.
That was the Malik Willis story too. Remember, the Titans gave up on Willis, and Green Bay turned him into a legitimate NFL player.
LaFleur’s system, combined with his quarterback development chops, has proven to be fertile ground for raw talent. Just ask Aaron Rodgers, who won back-to-back MVPs under LaFleur, or Jordan Love, who has emerged as the franchise’s third straight starting-caliber quarterback.
The Packers have tried this before, of course. Sean Clifford and Michael Pratt didn’t pan out, but that’s the nature of late-round quarterback swings-some miss, some hit.
Green, though, checks a lot of the boxes. He’s got size, mobility, and a live arm.
And in a system that values play-action, movement, and vertical shots, he could be an ideal fit as a developmental backup.
It’s easy to see why Green would intrigue a front office like Green Bay’s. He’s not a finished product, but he doesn’t need to be.
The Packers aren’t looking for someone to start Day 1-they’re looking for someone who can sit, learn, and grow into a capable No. 2.
And if lightning strikes twice, maybe even more.
At the end of the day, we’re talking about a seventh-round pick. There’s minimal risk and potentially a decent reward. For a team that’s quietly built a reputation for quarterback development, Taylen Green might just be the next name worth betting on.