Green Bay Packers Matt LaFleur Praises Rookie Michael Pratt

One of the new players that Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur will be working with this offseason is quarterback Michael Pratt. A seventh-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of Tulane, many people were shocked that he lasted as long as he did on the board.

Michael Pratt may not have been as highly regarded as some of the other quarterback prospects in this year’s draft class, but he graded out much better than a seventh-round pick in the pre-draft process. Many evaluators had a fourth or fifth-round grade on him, presenting the Green Bay Packers with incredible value.

He is expected to compete with Sean Clifford, a fifth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft who won the backup job behind Jordan Love last season. At the very least, Michael Pratt will be the team’s new developmental prospect with last season’s third-stringer, Alex McGough, converting to wide receiver.

“I think he’s a guy that he definitely is a tough, fearless thrower, and that to me is a prerequisite with the position,” Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur said: “You gotta be able to stand in there and throw in muddy pockets, throw in the face of pressure, and I think he exhibited that. I think he’s a winner, so we were excited. We were kind of shocked that he was still there in the seventh.”

That will be one of the competitions to keep a close eye on throughout the offseason. Love is entrenched as the starter, but the backup quarterback position is an important one. Whoever wins that job has to be prepared to take over at a moment’s notice and keep the team afloat.

The reigning American Athletic Conference Player of the Year, Michael Pratt brings a lot to the table to like. Some evaluators have projected that he will be a very good QB2 for years to come, which would be ideal for the Packers.

Their depth chart at the most important position in the game will be set for years to come. Or, they will have a chance to turn Michael Pratt into more assets down the line should he develop and teams want to give him a shot as a starter.

That is a good problem for Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst to have. He has made it clear he wants to get back into the practice of selecting and developing a quarterback in each year’s draft, and 2024 made it two years in a row of doing that.