Packers sign Tyrod Taylor as backup QB, release Desmond Ridder

The Green Bay Packers signed veteran Tyrod Taylor to back up starting quarterback Jordan Love on Monday.

The Packers confirmed reports of the signing Monday but did not reveal terms. The team released quarterback Desmond Ridder in a corresponding move.

Taylor will take on a role the Packers have been looking to fill since former backup QB Malik Willis signed a three-year, $67.5 million deal with the Miami Dolphins in March.

The Packers will be the eighth team Taylor has played for as he enters his 16th season in the league after being drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft.

He spent the past two seasons with the New York Jets. He appeared in two games in 2024 backing up Aaron Rodgers before missing training camp last summer after arthroscopic knee surgery.

Taylor started in place of an injured Justin Fields in Week 3 of 2025 then replaced an ineffective Fields in Week 12. However, he only started three more games before a groin injury in the first series of Week 14 took him out, continuing a trend of injuries throughout his career.

He hasn't started more than six games since the 2017 season with the Buffalo Bills, where the majority of his experience as a starter came. He was 22-20 in 44 games (43 starts) with the Bills from 2015-17.

Taylor, who turns 37 on Aug. 3, has a 29-31-1 record in 62 career starts with the Ravens (2011-14), Bills, Cleveland Browns (2018), Los Angeles Chargers (2019-20), Houston Texans (2021), New York Giants (2022-23) and Jets.

He finished last season with 779 passing yards, five touchdowns and five interceptions. He has a career 61.8% completion percentage for 13,033 yards, 73 TDs and 34 interceptions.

Ridder, 26, joined the Packers' practice squad on Dec. 31 and was signed to their active roster one week later. He did not see game action in 2025 while with the Minnesota Vikings.

Ridder, who made 17 starts for the Atlanta Falcons (2022-23) and one for the Las Vegas Raiders (2024), has thrown for 4,002 yards, 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions on a 63.6% completion rate in 25 career appearances.

--Field Level Media