GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Packers have started to prepare for Sunday’s home opener against the Colts at Lambeau Field.
Jordan Love didn’t practice on Wednesday. The starting quarterback for the Packers Sunday is still in question.
Packers Head Coach Matt LaFleur won’t say for sure that Love is out Sunday, saying at least for public consumption that the door to him playing is “pretty open.” If Malik Willis does start, he said he’ll be ready.
“I think you just come in each day and do your job to the best of your ability when the opportunity arises,” said Willis. “That’s what it is in this league. Each guy just kind of does what they can to work hard and get better each day until the opportunity arises. And this is definitely one of those opportunities, it seems, or it may be. I just got here. So it’s going to be a little bit of an overdrive, not as a normal week as if I’ve been here the whole time. But we’re definitely going to be taking it day by day and just doing what we can each day to prepare ourselves for Sunday.”
Packers safety Xavier McKinney played high school football with Willis in Georgia. He knows what Packers fans should expect if Willis has to play.
“A guy that is going to play hard,” said McKinney. “A guy that is going to give it his all. He’s going to make plays. I’ve seen that with my own eyes and, that’s just what he is. He’s a playmaker and he’ll play hard and we know that.”
It’s up to play caller Matt LaFleur to adjust to Willis, if he starts.
“The things he might not be more comfortable with, we might take out,” said LaFleur. “You go through the process and you got to kind of get a feel for it and just communicate.”
“I’ve had three different offenses the last three seasons at Tennessee,” said Willis. “More than anything, just try to match the carry over and do your best to execute the way it’s called over here.”
Willis was asked if he was nervous about starting, he said “about what?”
“It’s just Wednesday,” said Willis. “I’m not worried about that. It’s just continuing to work each day this week and getting more and more confidence in the guys, and have them gain more confidence in me. If that’s the plan, or just be ready to go. If Jordan can go, and that’s up to Jordan.”
Willis said Jordan Love has been helpful to him dating back to when Willis was acquired from Tennessee.