Somewhere inside Lambeau Field this week, a quarterback walked in, sat down with the Packers’ front office, and walked out without anyone in the media knowing his name. That part was by design. Green Bay asked reporters not to disclose the identity of a “top-secret visit,” a level of organizational secrecy almost unheard of during draft week. Meanwhile, two other quarterbacks made their visits in broad daylight. Both are expected to go undrafted. The Packers’ backup plan behind Jordan Love starts with those two names, but the hidden visit carries its own weight.
The Void Malik Willis Left Behind
Dec 27, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis (2) warms up prior to the game against the Baltimore Ravens at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
Willis departed for the Dolphins in free agency on a three-year, $67.5 million contract, and the loss stung more than most fans realized. He provided rare insurance: an athletic, mobile backup who could keep the offense alive if Love missed time. Now that safety net is gone. Desmond Ridder, signed to the practice squad on December 31, 2025 and activated for the playoffs, and Kyle McCord, a sixth-round Eagles pick who spent his rookie year on Philadelphia’s practice squad, represent the current depth. Neither has started an NFL regular-season game for Green Bay. The clock to fix this runs out this weekend.
Why Green Bay Doesn’t Panic-Draft Quarterbacks
Jan 4, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) jigs off the field after their game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Hoffman-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images
Jordan Love ranked second in the NFL in EPA per dropback in 2025, trailing only Josh Allen. When your starter plays at that level, burning premium draft capital on a backup feels like lighting money on fire. The Packers hosted only two quarterbacks for top-30 visits, the smallest QB visitor pool reported among teams actively evaluating the position. That restraint tells you everything about how Brian Gutekunst values the backup role: find the right athlete cheap, develop him behind an elite starter, and let the system do the teaching.
The Visit Nobody Was Supposed to Know About
Jan 4, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Green Bay Packers head coach Matt Lafleur reacts to a play against the Minnesota Vikings during the third quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
Reporter Bill Huber, of Sports Illustrated’s Packers on SI, confirmed the Packers held a separate, undisclosed quarterback visit and was “asked not to report the name.” In a league where draft intel leaks like a broken faucet, that kind of organizational lockdown is extraordinary. Teams don’t hide visits for prospects they’re lukewarm about. They hide visits for players they genuinely intend to acquire and don’t want competitors bidding against them. Two public visits. One confidential one. The confidential one may matter most, and the Packers spent most of draft week trying to make sure nobody outside the building knew whose name it was.
Kyron Drones: The Willis Clone
Nov 15, 2025; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies quarterback Kyron Drones (1) looks to pass during the second half against the Florida State Seminoles at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images
The comparison writes itself. Drones possesses a similar size-speed-arm skill-set to the departed Willis, which is precisely why SI.com asked whether Virginia Tech’s Kyron Drones could be the eventual replacement. After two years at Baylor — where he redshirted in 2021 and appeared in five games in 2022 — and a transfer to Virginia Tech, Drones started for three seasons with the Hokies. Across his college career he threw for roughly 5,785 yards and 45 passing touchdowns, while adding about 1,847 rushing yards and 19 rushing touchdowns, making him a legitimate dual-threat. His Virginia Tech completion rate sat in the high 50s to low 60s — the red flag that helps keep him undrafted — but Green Bay has never been afraid of raw tools.
Morton’s Numbers Tell a Different Story
Jan 1, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders quarterback Behren Morton (2) passes the ball against the Oregon Ducks during the first half of the 2025 Orange Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Behren Morton has been at Texas Tech since 2021, working his way into starting reps and becoming the full-time starter after Tyler Shough’s injury. His most recent season is where it gets interesting: Morton threw for roughly 2,780 yards and 22 touchdowns, with similar efficiency the prior year. Multiple seasons of starting experience against Big 12 defenses, improving accuracy, and a clean senior tape. For a player expected to go undrafted, that efficiency profile is borderline absurd.
Two Prospects, One Roster Spot, Zero Guarantees
Oct 11, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies quarterback Kyron Drones (1) throws a pass against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the third quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Both Drones and Morton project as undrafted free agents, meaning Green Bay could sign either without spending a single draft pick. That’s the system working as designed: let other teams overpay for backup quarterbacks while the Packers mine the margins. Ridder and McCord already hold roster spots. Adding Drones or Morton creates a four-man competition where the winner earns the right to stand behind one of the NFL’s best young starters.
The Blueprint That Keeps Repeating
Dec 27, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis (2) celebrates after a touchdown during the second quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Kayla Wolf-Imagn Images
Willis proved that a developmental backup can deliver real value when coached correctly. The Packers aren’t abandoning that model after losing him — they’re doubling down on it. Two public visits, one hidden visit, zero premium picks allocated. The pattern is the point: Green Bay treats backup quarterback evaluation the way most teams treat late-round receiver fliers, as a volume game where scouting replaces spending. When your starter ranks second in EPA per dropback, the backup doesn’t need to be a first-rounder — he needs to be the right athlete in the right system.
The Injury Math Nobody Wants to Do
Jan 10, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) is pressured by Chicago Bears defensive end Montez Sweat (98) during the second half of an NFC Wild Card Round game at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
Love’s elite 2025 season makes the backup question feel academic right now. It won’t feel academic the moment he takes a hit and limps to the sideline. Ridder was activated for the playoffs as a third-stringer, and McCord spent an entire season on a practice squad. Neither inspires the kind of confidence a franchise needs when its starter is carrying the whole operation. The Packers know this. That confidential visit proves they know this. Whoever walked through that door represents the real contingency plan, and Green Bay was determined to keep the bidding quiet for as long as possible.
A Quiet Name on the Draft Board
Dec 6, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders quarterback Behren Morton (2) warms up before the game against the BYU Cougars at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Drones and Morton are the public faces of this backup search. They’ll generate the headlines and the mock-draft chatter. But the real story walked into Lambeau without a press release and left without a trace. Teams don’t demand secrecy for players they view as camp arms. They demand secrecy for players they plan to acquire. The draft ends this weekend, and somewhere on Green Bay’s board sits a quarterback the Packers worked hard to keep other front offices from pricing. That’s exactly how they wanted it.
Editor’s note (April 24, 2026): This article was initially drafted before the identity of the Packers’ confidential top-30 quarterback visitor was publicly reported. On April 22, 2026, multiple outlets — including Sports Illustrated’s Packers on SI and Yahoo Sports — identified that visitor as Virginia Tech’s Kyron Drones, who is also covered elsewhere in this piece. The article has been lightly updated to reflect that disclosure.
Sources:
Huber, Bill. “Packers Mystery QB Visit Was Virginia Tech QB Kyron Drones.” Packers On SI (Sports Illustrated), April 22, 2026.
Demovsky, Rob. “Packers sign Ridder to practice squad and remain noncommittal on backup quarterback plans.” ESPN, December 31, 2025.
Pelissero, Tom. “QB Malik Willis, Dolphins agree to three-year, $67.5 million contract.” NFL.com, March 8, 2026.
Wood, Ryan. “Packers host pre-draft visit with Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton.” Packers Wire (USA Today), April 8, 2026.
“Full list of Packers’ pre-draft visits before 2026 NFL draft.” Packers Wire (USA Today), April 22, 2026.
Drones, Kyron. Career statistics. Virginia Tech Athletics official roster page, 2025.
