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The Green Bay Packers have a new quarterback after signing Taylor Elgersma, according to his agent Craig Schaeffer.
In 2024, Elgersma threw for 4,200 yards and 35 touchdowns while completing 74 percent of his passes for Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario. He won the Hec Crighton Trophy, which is awarded to the most outstanding player in Canadian intercollegiate football.
Elgersma earned an invite to the Senior Bowl, a scouting event Green Bay has been known for putting a lot of stock in during the pre-draft process. The Packers hosted Elgersma on a pre-draft visit and a tryout in rookie minicamp. Evidently, the 23-year-old Canadian prospect made a strong impression.
The Buffalo Bills planned on having Elgersma participate in their rookie minicamp over the weekend, but he stayed in Green Bay instead. Elgersma joins a Packers quarterback room with Jordan Love, Malik Willis, and Sean Clifford.
Before signing him, head coach Matt LaFleur said there was a lot to like about Elgersma after what he showed in rookie minicamp. To better understand what those likable traits might be, let’s look at some of Elgersma’s tape from the 2024 season.
To start us off, Elgersma has one-on-one coverage on the outside, so he takes a shot. He showcases really good accuracy and ball placement when throwing downfield. I’d say the deep ball is one of his best assets.
Again, Elgersma drops this one in perfectly, with the receiver not having to break his stride. Notice how he holds the safety with his eyes—causing him to flip his hips—before making the throw.
I’d say Elgersma is an average athlete. He won’t make many impressive plays with his legs, but he can occasionally extend plays. Here, he does a nice job navigating the pocket and then delivers an accurate ball while on the move.
One thing you notice when watching Elgersma is he’s really good at throwing in-breakers. His footwork and timing to get rid of the ball are on point. He also throws with good anticipation and precision.
Elgersma displays a solid understanding of coverages and how to attack them. Here, he diagnoses the weak spot and drops in a nice ball for a touchdown.
One downside to Elgersma’s game is he takes a lot of sacks. He fails to recognize the free rusher, but to his credit, he pops right up after taking a big hit. Elgersma needs to improve at identifying blitzes, but he’s competitive and tough—two must-have traits at quarterback.
I wouldn’t say Elgersma has elite arm talent, but he’s got enough strength to zip throws into tight coverage, as you see here. Elgersma also appears to have pretty good lower body mechanics and footwork.
Conclusion
There will be a steep learning curve for Elgersma. Obviously, his receivers won’t get a running head start like they do in Canada, and the level of competition will improve drastically. That said, it’s easy to see why the Packers like him. He possesses ideal size at 6-5, 227 pounds, and his arm talent indicates there is some upside to tap into. He can attack all three levels of the defense accurately, and he’s got good touch.
Still, cracking Green Bay’s 53-man roster won’t be easy. Willis is one of the better backup quarterbacks in the league, and the Packers are likely to roster only two during the season.
That means Elgersma will have to outplay Clifford for the QB3 job and a spot on the practice squad if another team doesn’t sign him. If it doesn’t work out for Elgersma in the NFL, he has a promising future awaiting him in the Canadian Football League (CFL).
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