GREEN BAY − Green Bay Press-Gazette and PackersNews columnist Pete Dougherty responds to reader questions on the hot topics of the Green Bay Packers‘ offseason.
We pulled a question from a recent mailbag on what the Packers should do at No. 2 quarterback.
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With backup quarterback suddenly becoming an important need, in which direction do you think the Packers will go? Is a seasoned veteran like Joe Flacco an option or a young talent like Anthony Richardson looking to reinvent himself? Or do we target a middle- or late-round draft pick?
Pete Dougherty: Richardson is really interesting because of his talent, but his $5.3M salary would put me off. He’s on the last year of his rookie contract, so that’s a lot of money for a guy who may or may not prove to be a viable backup. I wouldn’t give up more than a seventh-round draft pick for him.
Flacco is 41 and just signed with the Cincinnati Bengals.
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Green Bay Packers’ 2026 opponents: Top offenses, new coaches
Who will Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers face in 2026? Their opponents were revealed last month at the end of the 2025 regular season. The times and dates for the 2026 schedule will be announced in early May.
Some observations: They’ll face six teams that made the playoffs in 2025, including at the AFC champion New England Patriots. The Packers match up with all the AFC East and NFC South teams in 2026. Green Bay will also face three teams with new head coaches, including former Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, who is with the Miami Dolphins.
And Green Bay’s defense better be ready as it will meet the top six offenses from 2025.
Green Bay has nine home games and eight road games.
Scroll this gallery for all the teams on the Packers’ 2026 schedule, starting with the home games and the non-divisional games.
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Green Bay Packers’ 2026 opponents: Top offenses, new coaches
Who will Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers face in 2026? Their opponents were revealed last month at the end of the 2025 regular season. The times and dates for the 2026 schedule will be announced in early May.
Some observations: They’ll face six teams that made the playoffs in 2025, including at the AFC champion New England Patriots. The Packers match up with all the AFC East and NFC South teams in 2026. Green Bay will also face three teams with new head coaches, including former Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, who is with the Miami Dolphins.
And Green Bay’s defense better be ready as it will meet the top six offenses from 2025.
Green Bay has nine home games and eight road games.
Scroll this gallery for all the teams on the Packers’ 2026 schedule, starting with the home games and the non-divisional games.
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Green Bay Packers’ 2026 opponents: Top offenses, new coaches
Buffalo Bills: Quarterback Josh Allen will make his first appearance at Lambeau Field since his rookie season in 2018. The Bills had the fourth-ranked offense in 2025. They are one of 10 teams this offseason that has a new head coach.
2025 record: 12-5
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Green Bay Packers’ 2026 opponents: Top offenses, new coaches
Miami Dolphins: Former Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley will return to Lambeau Field in his first year as the Dolphins head coach.
2025 record: 7-10
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Green Bay Packers’ 2026 opponents: Top offenses, new coaches
Dallas Cowboys: Quarterback Dak Prescott will bring an explosive Cowboys offense (second ranked in 2025) to Lambeau Field for the first time since the 2022 season. The two teams played to a 40-40 tie during the 2025 season in Dallas.
2025 record: 7-9-1
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Green Bay Packers’ 2026 opponents: Top offenses, new coaches
Carolina Panthers: For the second straight season, the Panthers will come to Lambeau Field. The Packers will look to avenge that 16-13 loss to Carolina.
2025 record: 8-9
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Green Bay Packers’ 2026 opponents: Top offenses, new coaches
Atlanta Falcons: New coach Kevin Stefanski will bring his Falcons to Lambeau Field.
2025 record: 8-9
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Green Bay Packers’ 2026 opponents: Top offenses, new coaches
Houston Texans: Azeez al-Shaair and last season’s No. 1-ranked defense will look to rattle Jordan Love and the Packers offense when they make their second appearance to Lambeau Field in three years.
2025 record: 12-5
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Green Bay Packers’ 2026 opponents: Top offenses, new coaches
New England Patriots: The Packers will head to New England to face Drake Maye and the reigning AFC champion Patriots. Green Bay last played the Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough in 2018. The Patriots had the third-ranked offense in 2025.
2025 record: 14-3
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Green Bay Packers’ 2026 opponents: Top offenses, new coaches
New Orleans Saints: The Packers will face quarterback Tyler Shough and the Saints on the road. Its the first time the Packers will play inside the Caesars Superdome since the 2020 season.
2025 record: 6-11
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Green Bay Packers’ 2026 opponents: Top offenses, new coaches
Los Angeles Rams: The Packers travel to the site of Super Bowl 61 for a matchup against Puka Nacua, Davante Adams and the Rams, who had the NFL’s top-ranked offense. It will be the fifth time in six years the Packers and Rams will play in the regular season.
2025 record: 12-5
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Green Bay Packers’ 2026 opponents: Top offenses, new coaches
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Packers head to Florida for a matchup against Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers.
2025 record: 8-9
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Green Bay Packers’ 2026 opponents: Top offenses, new coaches
New York Jets: The Packers will face Garrett Wilson (5) and the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, for the first time since the 2018 season.
2025 record: 3-14
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Green Bay Packers’ 2026 opponents: Top offenses, new coaches
Chicago Bears (2): This rivalry is alive. After the teams split the regular-season series with heartstopping finishes and then a wild-card playoff game that featured a massive comeback by the Bears, what will the 2026 season bring us between these two longtime rivals?
Last season, the two teams had to wait until December for their first game. And then they ended up playing each other three times from Dec. 7 to Jan. 10.
2025 record: 11-6
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Green Bay Packers’ 2026 opponents: Top offenses, new coaches
Detroit Lions (2): The Packers will look for another 2-0 season against the Lions. The Packers opened last season with a win over the Lions at Lambeau Field and then beat them on Thanksgiving at Ford Field for a second time in three years.
2025 record: 9-8
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Green Bay Packers’ 2026 opponents: Top offenses, new coaches
Minnesota Vikings (2): The Packers will again have to contend with Vikings star wide receiver Justin Jefferson for two games. The teams split the 2025 series.
Vikings record: 9-8
There’s Jimmy Garoppolo, who is a free agent and made $4.5M last season as the Rams’ No. 2. He also turns 35 in November and is in physical decline. But he has to at least be a possibility.
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Don’t think I’d touch Russell Wilson. Would consider Tyrod Taylor, who is not likely to be expensive.
I have my doubts that Desmond Ridder will be the Packers’ No. 2 when the season starts. He wasn’t even on a practice squad when the Packers signed him late last season, so that’s a big red flag to me. Gutekunst hasn’t said anything this offseason to suggest he’s particularly high on Ridder.
It’s a pretty good bet Gutekunst drafts a quarterback in the later rounds. But I wonder if one of those aforementioned QBs will end up being their No. 2 this season.
This article originally appeared on Packers News: What should the Packers do at backup quarterback? | Pete Dougherty