The Green Bay Packers lost backup quarterback Malik Willis to free agency this offseason, leaving a significant hole on the roster. Willis played a meaningful role in Green Bay, filling in excellently for Jordan Love over the past two seasons when needed.
While general manager Brian Gutekunst is on record saying the team wants to get back to drafting and developing quarterbacks, the team left the 2026 NFL Draft without selecting one.
Instead, the Packers turned to veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor to back up Love. A respected veteran who’s been around the league and seen it all, Taylor is an atypical but welcome choice for a backup QB in Green Bay.
Still, the Packers’ approach to QB2 doesn’t mean they aren’t trying to develop some of their own young blood. Heading into training camp, Kyle McCord and Kyron Drones will duke it out for the QB3 spot. What do we know about these young players, and do they have a shot at developing under Matt LaFleur’s guidance?
McCord and Drones are new to Green Bay this offseason. McCord was the Philadelphia Eagles’ sixth-round draft pick in 2025 and spent the season on Philly’s practice squad. Drones is a 2026 UDFA out of Virginia Tech who signed a three-year contract with Green Bay following the draft.
Last year’s backups, Clayton Tune and Desmond Ridder, won’t get a chance to compete in Green Bay.
McCord is the more familiar name, playing for Ohio State and Syracuse. McCord had a decent but inconsistent showing as a starter for OSU in 2023 but struggled in the team’s final games. With OSU unwilling to commit to McCord as the starter, he entered the transfer portal.
McCord had his best season at Syracuse, with 4,779 yards, 34 TDs, and 12 interceptions.
A traditional pocket passer, McCord has solid fundamentals, a strong enough arm, and a good feel for the pocket. In his pre-draft profile, Lance Zierlein noted:
While he can hit chunk throws, his decision-making and ball placement aren’t always good fits for his gunslinger mentality. His mobility inside and outside the pocket is average. McCord has good size, adequate talent and commendable resilience. He could find a home as a backup quarterback with modest upside.
McCord did not qualify for a Relative Athletic Score due to a lack of testing. Still, NFL.com gave him a 57, a below-average number and atypical of what the Packers seek.
Drones started his collegiate career with Baylor but saw very little action until he transferred to Virginia Tech in 2023. In three seasons with Virginia Tech, Drones displayed dual-threat ability and glimpses of a high ceiling, with 5,566 passing yards, 44 touchdowns to 18 interceptions, and 1,798 rushing yards and 20 TDs on the ground.
His completion percentage leaves much to be desired (58.3), but he fits the classic mold of a highly athletic developmental piece. A 9.58 RAS is tantalizing, and Drones met with the Packers in a pre-draft visit.
Assuming the Packers don’t add anyone else in the coming weeks, McCord and Drones will duel for the QB3 spot. There is no reason Green Bay couldn’t keep both on the practice squad. Still, it’s hard to develop that many quarterbacks, and the Packers likely aren’t willing to devote more than one valuable spot to developmental quarterbacks.
McCord developed under one of college football’s premier programs (a physically painful statement to write as a devoted Ohio State hater) and played in pro-style, passing-heavy offenses. It gives him an edge in spotting a start in an emergency.
Yet Drones appears to have the higher ceiling and better fits the mold of a Packers developmental backup QB that Willis established over the past few seasons. Gifted runners have an advantage as backup quarterbacks. Their running ability can keep defenses honest and can make up for a less robust playbook.
LaFleur showed faith in Willis’ skill set by putting his best trait, his running ability, on display while also putting him in good position to make plays with his arm and develop his more raw passing skills. If the Packers want to follow the blueprint Willis left, Drones is a more natural fit.
Outside consensus is leaning toward Drones having the edge.
In an article discussing potential fits for Brandon Sorsby, ESPN’s Ben Solak said this of Green Bay’s quarterback group:
In that Sorsby reminds me of Willis, I am unsurprisingly interested in his potential with LaFleur in Green Bay. The Packers’ current QB2 is Tyrod Taylor, whom they signed after the 2026 draft. I’d wager they wanted to snag a quarterback in that draft, but the board never fell their way. The QB3 is Kyle McCord, who doesn’t at all fit the mold of a Packers backup quarterback; they’ve typically prioritized athletes, such as Willis and Taylor, at that spot.
Sorsby isn’t coming to Green Bay any time soon, but Drones is closer to that style of play.
In a mailbag post, Packer Central’s Bill Huber also believes Drones can beat out McCord.
I’m thinking Kyron Drones will beat out Kyle McCord. The Packers fell in love with Malik Willis’ skillset. They see the same tools in Drones. He’ll have to earn his way, obviously, but Drones’ athletic ability and arm strength are appealing.
Again, the comparison to Willis is meaningful. The Packers found a winning formula for developing that style of quarterback, and, naturally, they want to replicate those results.
Lest we fall into “Dewey Defeats Truman” territory, the competition still has to play out. Perhaps McCord takes a big leap and looks like an NFL quarterback. Perhaps neither player looks solid enough and Green Bay pivots after final cuts, as they did with Willis in the first place. QB3 might not be the most meaningful battle for how the 2026 season plays out, but it should be a fun battle to witness and to see what the future in Green Bay could look like.
