Aaron Rodgers won't be allowed to take the field for the Green Bay Packers in their Week 9 matchup with Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs after testing positive for COVID-19. It's unclear if he'll be available for Week 10, either, but in his absence, the Packers will look to former first-round pick Jordan Love as the starter, but that left them with a vacancy at QB2, which has now been resolved. As expected, they've elevated Blake Bortles from the practice squad to the active roster, the team announced Saturday, as opposed to signing an outside arm.
They've also activated wideout Marquez Valdes-Scantling from injured reserve, returning a receiving threat to an offense that was in need of more beside Davante Adams. Valdes-Scantling's return will also potentially aid Love, who may have some early-game jitters that could be smoothed out quickly if veteran receivers are available and step up to provide a steady hand.
For Bortles, with no disrespect by the Packers intended, it's about getting ready for a game that Green Bay hopes he doesn't have to play in. If he does, it would mean Love is either injured or playing very poorly -- to the point of being benched. A tall task lies in front of him in a coming duel with Mahomes, but the latter has looked very human in 2021, and any takeaways the Packers can grab would also serve Love well by way of added possessions and not having to engage in a possible shootout with the Chiefs offense.
But should Bortles be needed, he's ready, and wouldn't mind rebuilding his brand a bit. A former third-overall pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2014, he led them to the AFC Championship before the wheels fell off shortly thereafter, and is now on his fifth NFL team in only four seasons.
