Another Week, Another Suspension: Letroy Guion For Three Games

Unless you think DT Letroy Guion is the glue that holds the Green Bay Packers's defense together, losing him to suspension for 3 games to start the season isn't a big deal. The Packers will probably keep someone who otherwise wouldn't have made the cut, like second year DT Bruce Gaston or undrafted rookie free agent DT Lavon Hooks, on the 53-man roster while Guion is suspended. Then they'll probably release Gaston or Hooks, and hope to re-sign them to the practice squad. Guion is also planning to appeal, and it seems like these suspensions are usually reduced on an appeal, so he probably won't even miss 3 games.

Though the 3 game suspension might be justified:

Packers DT Letroy Guion was suspended 3 games for all of this fun stuff http://t.co/h7Yh07xlK7 pic.twitter.com/189YSBFuNF

— SB Nation NFL (@SBNationNFL) July 23, 2015

Former Packer Jarrett Bush Suspended 4 Games For PED

Most of the Green Bay Packer news over the past week has been about Brett Favre's induction ceremony scheduled this upcoming Saturday, but one former Packer/current free agent made some news of his own:

Jarrett Bush was indeed suspended, but it wasn't because of his offseason arrest. Here's why: http://t.co/uGGQrwkSfX #Packers

— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) July 13, 2015

It's amazing that Jarrett Bush has remained with the Packers for so many seasons, and it does look like his time with them is finally up, though Mike McCarthy has left the door partially opened. But this suspension isn't the last straw. I think LB Mike Neal was the last player to have a four game PED suspension, but he was welcomed back in 2012 and even re-signed with them last year.

Jarrett Bush has just as much (or just as little) shot of returning next season with or without his recent suspension being a factor.

Packers Won't Release Andrew Quarless After Arrest

Rob Demovsky's sources say that the Green Bay Packers won't release TE Andrew Quarless after he allegedly fired a gun then tried to hide it in a potted plant while he was in Miami Beach on July 4. He's a useful football player (though they'd get along fine without him) so this could be seen as a football move since it's too late in the offseason to sign or draft his replacement. However, he does seem to be well liked, Aaron Rodgers complimented him in a recent interview, and one former teammate believes in him too.

"@TravisG1988: @JermichaelF88 don't count Quarless out yet" I'm not at all my man. #PackersWay

— Jermichael Finley (@JermichaelF88) July 6, 2015

He does get himself in trouble, but people like him and they're willing to give him a second chance, such as the one he got at Penn State after an alcohol-related offense:

On that particular day, Paterno was in no mood to show mercy, according to Quarless, who ended the five-minute chat with a promise. "He was ready to let me go. I just told him, 'Coach, I'll show you,'" Quarless said this week at the Packers' team hotel. "That was my message I left him, because he really didn't want to hear too much." 

He ended up playing in 47 career college games and finishing as Penn State's leading tight-end receiver in their history.

It was a reckless act on his part, and it's an embarrassment for everyone involved. He's likely to be suspended by the NFL for his actions, in addition to his ongoing legal problems. But he's apparently a good person; both his college and his professional teams are willing to give him a second chance.

Andrew Quarless Has Put The Packers In A Tough Spot

Dealing with player arrests is not something new for GM Ted Thompson, but I can't recall another time when two players made news in the same week. First it was a DE Datone Jones, who received a one game suspension relating to an arrest for marijuana possession back in January. Now it's TE Andrew Quarless, who was arrested for firing a gun in public and allegedly trying to hide it in a potted plant. A possible suspension for DT Letroy Guion was also discussed last week, but the Packers knew all about his arrest, which happened before he was re-signed, so that's not a new situation. Jones doesn't seem to be in too much trouble, though he's likely on thinner ice within the organization now, but Quarless might have put the Packers in a tough spot if they consider releasing him.

Packers tight end Quarless arrested in Miami for firing gun http://t.co/gNxsTwD4vd pic.twitter.com/fbsPT928Sz

— SI NFL (@si_nfl) July 4, 2015

Quarless is a bit of a football survivor. He was nearly dismissed from Penn State after two alcohol related offenses though he managed to stay with his college team. But I have no idea what the Packers are going to do about him.

If the Packers do release him, then they've got a roster problem on their hands. Quarless is nothing special, even if QB Aaron Rodgers is a fan, but there's little depth on the roster behind him. TE Brandon Bostick was dumped after his mistake in the NFC Championship game, leaving only Quarless and TE Richard Rodgers as the only tight ends who played last season. Now they might be down to just Rodgers, who showed a lot of improvement last season, but he can't be their only player at the position. Here are their other options:

Second year TE Justin Perillo is an interesting player but I wasn't counting on him for anything more than special teams next season. He could be one of the most closely watched players this preseason.

Rookie 6th round TE Kennard Backman. He's a basketball player/tight end, which is a popular skill set in the NFL at the moment, and he might be underrated because he's coming from the chaos that is/was the UAB football program. He's probably got good hands, but everything else about him is a mystery.

Two undrafted rookie tight ends. You never know, but they have to be candidates for the practice squad, at best.

So basically there's no experience other than Richard Rodgers. Throwing Perillo and/or Backman into a significant role with the offense next season might be possible, and it worked OK with Richard Rodgers last season. The Packers might become very interested in tight ends on other teams that will be released during the preseason.