Packers rookie QB Michael Pratt impressing coaches, takings snaps with second team

You’ve heard all about this class of rookie quarterbacks and the six first-round draft picks. Add Michael Pratt, the Packers seventh-rounder, to the conversation.

Now, mind you, Pratt doesn’t belong in the main conversation. He’s a side whisper. The loud conversation is in regards to Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels, or Bo Nix and Drake Maye. But Pratt, the Tulane record setter, already is making an impact in Packers training camp, with a possible move to the second-team.

In fact, Pratt ended Tuesday’s practice by taking reps with the second team during the final two periods. He was ahead of Sean Clifford, who had thrown a pair of interceptions earlier in the practice. Neither is unseating Jordan Love. But somebody will serve as Love’s chief backup.

In the opening preseason game between the Packers and Browns, Clifford received most of the snaps. Love threw two passes, completing both of them, then took a seat. Of course, his second pass was a spectacular one. We always applaud a 65-yard heave (to Dontayvion Wicks) for a touchdown.

Enter Clifford. This is Clifford’s second season. Green Bay selected the former Penn State star in the fifth round of last year’s draft. The quarterback completed 10 of his 19 passes for 111 yards against the Browns.

Then enter Pratt, who finished the game, an eventual 23-10 win over the Browns. Pratt completed five of his seven passes for 46 yards. This doesn’t show up in the stat sheet, but Pratt also threw a block downfield for Packers running back Emmanuel Wilson.

A sneaky move by @1kEmanuelWilson for the first down and then some 💨

📱: Stream #GBvsCLE on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/Ull9c03s2c

— NFL (@NFL) August 10, 2024

Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur appreciated the effort. But Pratt shouldn’t try that again.

“It’s cool to see,” LaFleur told reporters. “I just think you got to pick and choose the times to do that because it can go south in a hurry.”

Pratt called it his “competitive nature.”

“You know, the position we play, you don’t get a lot of opportunities to do that.” Pratt said. “I think just being a football player, and the cool thing was I screamed to Emmanuel, ‘cut outside,’ and he actually heard me. I had an opportunity to give him a block. Wish I could have given a little better block. Did my job not letting that guy get to him. Team bonding moment, knowing he can trust me with that and, like I said, it was cool,” said Michael Pratt.

Overall, Pratt’s quarterback rating for the game was 83.6. Pro Football Focus said the rating was the second highest posted by a rookie quarterback for the opening weekend of preseason games.

The Packers practice in Green Bay today. Then they’ll head to Denver for a joint practice with the Broncos. They’ll stick around for a game Sunday in Denver.