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Packers release QB Clayton Tune, sign QB Desmond Ridder to 53-man roster
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- Packers release QB Clayton Tune, sign QB Desmond Ridder to 53-man roster
The Green Bay Packers made a swap of quarterbacks on the active roster and signed three players to the practice squad on Tuesday. The team announced the release of quarterback Clayton Tune from the 53-man roster, the signing of Desmond Ridder to the 53-man roster from the practice squad and the signing of wide receiver Julian Hicks, wide receiver Kisean Johnson and tight end Messiah Swinson to the practice squad.
Tune appeared in two games for the Packers, including Sunday's disastrous start against the Minnesota Vikings in the regular season finale. He completed only six passes and finished with 34 passing yards and -7 net passing yards after taking four sacks for -41 yards. Tune is being replaced on the active roster by Ridder, who signed to the practice squad last week but was not elevated to the gameday roster. The Packers clearly liked what they saw from the former Atlanta Falcons draft pick and see Ridder as the better backup option long-term.
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Tune completed 7 of 15 passes for 42 yards and an interception while also taking five sacks across 59 snaps with the Packers in 2025.
With three quarterbacks still on the 53-man roster, the Packers can have an emergency third quarterback available as part of the gameday inactives -- a nice thing to have entering the postseason when backup quarterback Malik Willis is dealing with shoulder and hamstring injuries.
Ridder has played in 25 career games with 18 starts. The Packers are his sixth NFL team.
Hicks spent his entire rookie season in 2024 on the Packers practice squad. Johnson is an undrafted rookie out of Western Kentucky who spent time with the Cleveland Browns during training camp. Swinson spent most of the 2024 season on the Packers practice squad, although he did have three weeks on the Carolina Panthers' 53-man roster in September. Swinson is a capable inline run-blocker and could be an elevation candidate for Saturday against the Bears.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers release QB Clayton Tune, sign QB Desmond Ridder to 53-man roster
