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Green Bay Packers QB, Jordan Love

The Green Bay Packers are still on the hunt for their backup quarterback after Malik Willis left for the Miami Dolphins. One name that keeps getting floated around is veteran Russell Wilson.

Wilson, 37, has yet to find his next team after spending last season with the New York Giants.

According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the Packers — along with the Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals — were among the teams interested in making Kirk Cousins their backup quarterback. However, Cousins signed with the Las Vegas Raiders on April 2.

With Cousins off the board, Bleacher Report’s Adam Wells says Wilson makes a lot of sense for Green Bay — and it has a lot to do with Jordan Love.

Russell Wilson Emerges as Logical Backup Option for Packers

Wells says that, ideally, the Packers’ best option to back up Love would be Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson. But if a suitable trade can’t be made — or if the team wants more certainty — Wilson becomes an excellent fallback.

“Wilson would bring the aggressive, big-play element that is a staple of Jordan Love’s style of play,” Wells said. “No one would argue that Wilson is as good at it anymore as Love, but the ceiling could remain high for the offense with him if Love were to miss time.”

Part of what made Willis such a valuable option last season was his ability to step in when Love dealt with injuries over the past two years. Willis appeared in 11 games and made three starts, going 1-2.

Wilson, meanwhile, is coming off a quiet year with the Giants. He played in six games, made three starts and threw for 831 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions while completing 58% of his passes.

Even with his decline over the past few seasons, Wilson’s experience and résumé still stand out. If the Packers are preparing for the possibility of Love missing time again, Wilson represents about as steady of a backup option as they could find.

Matt LaFleur’s Plan for Jordan Love Adds Another Layer

Adding a veteran like Wilson could also align with how Packers head coach Matt LaFleur wants Jordan Love to evolve.

“There’s no defense for when the play goes off script. I would say every situation is a little bit different,” LaFleur said, via Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. “If we call a play, and there was an instance where we call a play, they’re playing two-man, and it’s the worst play in the world for playing two-man, please, please use your legs to try to make a bad play and try to make it good.”

LaFleur isn’t asking Love to become a run-first quarterback like Willis, but he does want him to be more willing to use his mobility when plays break down.

That approach comes with risk.

Love has missed four games over the last two seasons, including the final two regular-season games last year before returning for the playoff matchup against the Chicago Bears.

If that trend continues, having a veteran like Wilson behind him could become more than just a luxury — it could be a necessity.

Shane Shoemaker Shane Shoemaker is a sports journalist covering college football and the NFL for Heavy.com. His work has also appeared in The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, USA TODAY, and ClutchPoints, along with high school sports coverage for the Marion Tribune. More about Shane Shoemaker