Packers Backup QB Situation: Patriots Release Flynn and Sign Lindley

I had just wrote about how the backup QBs didn't impress on Family Night, and then this happened, but I don't think it'll change anything for the Green Bay Packers:

Bill Belichick says 1 of best traits QB Ryan Lindley has right now is health. Veteran QB Matt Flynn never passed his physical.

— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) August 10, 2015

If Matt Flynn was released because he was outplayed by Lindley, then that would be very bad. Ryan Lindley is a terrible NFL quarterback and Flynn should never lose a roster battle with him. But that does not appear to have been what happened.

I'm not exactly sure why Flynn didn't pass his physical but it might have something to do with his elbow and there might be something really wrong with it. The injury first surfaced in 2013 and he might have hurt it during a 2012 preseason game with the Seahawks. The Packers were so desperate for help in 2013 that they might have signed Flynn (and re-signed him in 2014) despite this concern. It might explain why they finally had to let him go and draft a young QB (Brett Hundley) in much better health.

I wish a healthy Matt Flynn were available to solidify the No. 2 QB spot while Hundley has time to develop as the No. 3, however, that doesn't look like an option. They probably have to get QB Scott Tolzien ready enough to be competent enough if he's forced to play.

Bears/Packers Final Prediction

My prediction for tomorrow's Bears/Packers game:

Score: Packers 38, Bears 14

I see this contest going the same way as the Panthers one did a few weeks ago. The Packers will get off to a quick start, pull away early, and then put Matt Flynn in for the fourth the quarter. In the end, the Bears will get a little closer due to Aaron Rodgers' abscence, but still, they'll lose by a lot.

Why?

Because the Packers are simply the better team here. In recent weeks, Jay Cutler has really struggled, while Rodgers, with the exception of the Saints' game, has excelled. I think we can all agree that makes for an obvious advantage for the home team.

Leave your thoughts below on how accurate you think mine are.

Packers Change Their Minds; Keep Both Flynn and Tolzein on Roster

In spite of what they announced yesterday, the Packers have elected to keep both Matt Flynn and Scott Tolzein on their 53 man roster, ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky reports. 

This preseason, as we all know, Flynn and Tolzein played pretty well, making the decision to somehow not keep one of them an extremely tough one.

So, as was previously stated, the Pack have intelligently given each member of the duo a chance (although Flynn will apparently be used as the primary backup, according to the aforementioned Demovsky), something that should pay off this year if Aaron Rodgers gets hurt again.

Packers To Keep Just One Backup QB on 53-Man Roster

The Packers will keep just one backup QB on their 53-man roster this season, Pro Football Talk reports.

Currently, the battle for that spot is between veteran Matt Flynn and youngster Scott Tolzein, who both performed well this preseason.

Still, since this news appears to be legit it looks like the Pack have a tough decision to make here, as Aaron Rodgers getting hurt is obviously something they need to prepare for (just in case).

Flynn and Tolzein, who both started at times for the team last year during Rodgers' absence, each had big nights Thursday against the Chiefs, completing 7/15 passes for 102 yards and 12/18 for 139, respectively.

Notes From Packers' 34-14 Win Over the Chiefs

Some notes from the Packers' 34-14, preseason-ending win tonight over the Chiefs:

Matt Flynn and Scott Tolzein. Wrapping up their competition for the backup QB spot, Flynn and Tolzein both played well in this easy W, completing 7/15 passes for 102 yards and 12/18 for 139, respectively. 

LaDarius Perkins. Since Eddie Lacy didn't play this evening, it was inevitable that somebody else would steal his spotlight, with that someone eventually proving to be Perkins, who collected a team-high 45 rushing yards on 8 carries.

Jeff Janis and Davante Adams. Also stepping up to fill-in the spots vacated by the not-playing starters today were young WRs Janis and Adams, who each collected TD catches to end the contest early.

Flynn/Tolzein Competition To Go Through The Final Preseason Game

The competition for the Packers' backup QB job between Matt Flynn and Scott Tolzein will go through the team's final preseason game, QB Coach Alex Van Pelt recently told ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky. 

"I would think that would be the fair way to do it," Van Pelt said this week. 

In Green Bay's first two exhibition contests, as you probably already know, both of their possible arms have looked pretty good, likely meaning this decision will be hard to make two weeks from now.

Nonetheless, since a pair of contests do currently remain on the exhibition schedule a lot can obviously happen before actual play begins, with this Friday's hosting of the Raiders beginning what should be a very entertaining seven day period.

Packers Preseason: Beat Rams 21-7 in St. Louis

The headliners were the two starting QBs. It was the first preseason action for Aaron Rodgers, and the first time Sam Bradford played in a game since last October, when he tore his ACL. Rodgers looked great, but the offensive line gave him a time to throw and he made it look easy.

The biggest play of the game was made by the rookie, in his first preseason NFL game:

Find out what Davante Adams calls his speedy rookie teammate Jeff Janis: http://t.co/YVSHdCw25I #GBvsSTL pic.twitter.com/IPjtR5xcUd
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) August 17, 2014

Janis and WR Davante Adams stood out and took the lead in the battle for the No. 4 and 5 WR spot. Adams was always going to make the final roster, but he could still slip down the depth chart if he struggles in the final two preseason games.

On offense and defense, the first team players still look like the opening week starters. There are only two positions that still could change:

Tight end. TE Brandon Bostick was their lone reported injury, which was unfortunate because he probably had the best game among the top three TEs. Rookie Richard Rodgers wasn't even targeted and he didn't look good blocking. Andrew Quarless had a big gain at the end of the 1st quarter on a busted coverage, but he also committed offensive pass interference on a 4th quarter pass attempt. If Bostick can bounce back quickly, he's probably in the lead to start.

FS HaHa Clinton-Dix. On a 41 yard completion to Rams' WR Brian Quick near the start of the 2nd quarter, CB Sam Shields went underneath in coverage expecting safety help. Instead, Clinton-Dix didn't go for the ball or the tackle, and Quick ran right around him on his way to an extra 20 yards. It wasn't a great day for safeties, TE Lance Kendricks beat Micah Hyde for a touchdown later on the same drive, but Clinton-Dix isn't ready to start.

Speaking of 1st round picks, I expect him to start, but I still haven't seen much from DE Datone Jones. I don't know what to expect from him.

Matt Flynn vs. Scott Tolzien. Tolzien is the one who's making quick decisions and getting the ball out his hand. Flynn is the one throwing short, dump-off passes (Janis's TD pass was almost entirely yards after the catch) and he's holding the ball too long. But Tolzien's drives don't lead to touchdowns, though a Tolzien TD pass to WR Myles White was waived off because of a penalty on rookie C Corey Lindsay. Meanwhile, Flynn is more likely to lead them to points. They'll still need the final two preseason games to sort out who should be the backup, but I don't know who's in the lead.

As for the backups on offense, I already mentioned Janis, but elsewhere on offense RB DuJuan Harris fumbled away the only turnover in the game, which will put some pressure on him for the remainder of the preseason. OT Derek Sherrod struggled in pass protection on at least three occasions after a good game against the Titans. He's still the biggest lineman on the roster, and I don't expect them to give up yet on their former 1st round pick, but he's not ready to step in and start if needed.

As for the backups on defense, former 1st round LB Nick Perry is definitely on the second team now that LB Julius Peppers is on the roster, but the entire second team front seven looked good. I wasn't ready to jump on the NT Mike Pennel bandwagon last week, the guy couldn't get on the field at Arizona State in college, but he did look good again this week. His biggest problem is that I'm not sure whether the Packers intend to keep two nose tackles.

It was a sack-fest for undrafted LBs Jayrone Elliott and Adrian Hubbard, but they were rushing against a sieve of a left tackle for the Rams. They both showed speed around the edges, but it's not clear they're faster than either backup LB Nate Palmer or Andy Mulumba. A three sack performance (Elliott) would usually be enough for any player to earn a roster spot, however, Elliott will have to keep it up to prove this game was no fluke.

Lyerla Out "Weeks" After Tearing MCL, PCL

Rookie Packers TE Colt Lyerla will be out "weeks" after tearing both his MCL and PCL in a Family Night practice Sunday night, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Bon McGinn reports. 

On the play the injuries occurred on, interestingly, Lyerla had just hurdled CB Jumal Rolle after catching a Matt Flynn pass, appearing to make himself due for a nice contribution.

Unfortunetaly, though, that wouldn't prove to be the case, with #49 getting hit hard by Jarrett Bush seconds later.

To make things even worse, exactly how long Lyerla will be out isn't yet known, something that must be killing HC Mike McCarthy, as the latter has already had to deal with multiple serious injuries over the last month.

McCarthy: Tolzein Did A Lot of Good Things in Preseason Opener

After yesterday's preseason-opening loss to the Titans, Packers Head Coach Mike McCarthy told the Green Bay Press-Gazette that backup QB candidate Scott Tolzein "did a lot of good things."

As for evidence for his opinion, unsurprisingly, McCarthy pointed to Tolzein's conversion of a 2nd and 20 that got the Pack into the red zone, probably the team's offensive highlight of the night.

Overall, as I wrote yesterday, Tolzein impressively completed 8 of his 12 passes for 124 yards in the contest, numbers that, should they keep coming, will likely land him a place on the team.

Remember, going into this year's training camp #16's competing with fellow arms Matt Flynn and Chase Rettig for a spot on the main roster, something that'd be a pretty big upgrade from his third-string role last season.

Flynn Blessed to Receive Second Chance with Packers

Despite the fact that he was supposed to be a high paid starter in Seattle for the 2012 season, Packers Backup QB Matt Flynn is happy to be where he is.

In an article recently published by ESPN Wisconsin's Jason Wilde, Flynn declared himself "blessed" for his second NFL chance, one that likely won't involve much playing time.

Last year, the former NCAA National Champion was on three different rosters, starting out in Oakland before later signing with the Bills and Packers. 

While in Buffalo, Flynn never actually played, making it debatable whether or not his time there should count.

Packers Free Agency: Matt Flynn to make over $1 million this season

The details of Matt Flynn's new one-year deal with the Packers have been released, and really, they come with no surprises. Apparently Flynn, who went 2-2 in 4 starts last season, will make just $730,000 in base salary this year, including a $75k signing bonus, a $25k workout bonus, and a per game active roster bonus of up to $138,125.

So yea, it certainly looks like the Pack got a good deal done with this guy. He's a solid backup, (either that or he just seems better since his alternative is Scott Tolzein) but here, as with every case of free agency, you gotta make sure not to overpay too much, especially in a league with a salary cap. 

Packers reportedly showing interest in North Dakota State QB Brock Jensen

The Packers are currently showing interest in North Dakota State QB Brock Jensen, ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky reports. According to his agent, the Pack worked out Jensen last Friday, making them the third team to do so. 

In his college career at NDSU, Jensen set an FCS record for wins, emerging victorious in 47 of the 52 games he played in. Right now, I'm not sure where he'd fit with the Packers, as they already have two backup-capable hurlers in Matt Flynn and Scott Tolzein on the roster, but since Mike McCarthy did say last month that he'd like a fourth quarterback I guess Jensen heading to the Cheeseheads is a definite possibility.  Again, I don't see how it'd help anything, but yea, it could happen.

Packers finally re-sign Matt Flynn

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Packers have finally re-signed Free Agent QB Matt Flynn. Last season, Flynn was the only decent backup the Pack had, going 2-2 in 4 starts with two one-point wins over the Falcons and Cowboys. 

Now overall, I wouldn't say Flynn's a great player, but still, in the end he does fit well in Green Bay. I mean, I still don't want him to have to play in a meaningful situation this season, but if Rodgers goes down I guess I'd rather him come in than Tolzein. That's not saying much, but hey, it's a fact, isn't it? Right now, whether we like it or not, Flynn's the lesser evil, so I guess the team might as well keep him on the roster for another year. 

Giants reportedly showing interest in QB Matt Flynn

The Giants are currently showing interest in Free Agent QB Matt Flynn, the New York Daily News reports. Right now, New York has Josh Freeman scheduled for a workout, so it's obvious that they're looking for a 2014 backup. 

To that, I'll I can say is: let's hope Freeman turns out to be better. Last season, Flynn played really well for the Pack, so if they end up missing out on him it'd definitely be a bad thing. I mean, who else is available to sign right now? It's not like they'll just settle for Tolzein after last year's injury to Rodgers, right?

McCarthy: "I'd like to have Matt (Flynn) back"

In an article recently published by NBC Sports' Curtis Crabtree, Packers Head Coach Mike McCarthy was quoting say that he wants last year's backup QB, Matt Flynn, back.

“I'd like to have Matt back,” McCarthy said. “I thought Matt was a good addition to our football team. I have great respect and admiration for him, just being around him a lot on a positional basis. Yeah, I’m hoping financially it works out.”

So yea, it appears McCarthy has finally come to the logical conclusion here that, no matter how bad Flynn gets, the Packers have to sign him. I mean, it's him or Tolzein, isn't it?

Packers QB Coach Van Pelt appears to want Matt Flynn back

In an article recently published by the Green Bay Press-Gazette, recently-promoted Packers QB Coach Alex Van Pelt was quoted saying some obviously positive things about now free agent Matt Flynn. 

“The way he fits in the locker room, especially in the quarterback room," Van Pelt said. "The things he does to get Aaron ready to play on Sundays are little things that are hidden sometimes when you're looking at guys, so I'm excited to hopefully get him back in there.”

So yea Thompson, you hear him: sign Flynn again. Sure, he might not be great, but I can guarantee you he'll be a hell of a lot better than Scott Tolzein. 

Could the Packers make a run at Brandon Weeden?

Yesterday, as you might've heard, Browns QB Brandon Weeden made headlines around the sports world by saying that he wants to leave the team. Now of course, it's still likely that he won't actually get his wish, but hearing that story immediately made me wonder: could the Packers make a run at him, if he becomes available? The simple answer to that question: yea, they could.

Last season, Weeden had an awful QBR of 24.7, which, while terrible, was still 5.3 points higher than Matt Flynn's 19.4. So yea, in my opinion, Ted Thompson should at least check in on this guy. He could actually end up being the backup they've been looking for.

Why The Packers Might Favor Tolzien Over Flynn

While I'm writing a post about why the Green Bay Packers might want Scott Tolzien instead of Matt Flynn as their No. 2 quarterback in 2014, I'd like to remind everyone that I'm writing about two quarterbacks who were released by other teams in 2013 (twice in Flynn's case). Neither one of them is very good, and neither one should be challenging for a starting job on any NFL team. Both quarterbacks were terrible for the Packers in 2013, and it's not going to matter much whether they choose one over the other.

Having said that, there are a few points in Tolzien's favor. He had a better QPB (ESPN's advanced metric) of 24.3 to Flynn's 19.4 in large part because he didn't fumble, while Flynn had two (including a killer one against the Steelers). Just a reminder, both of their QPBs are terrible, only a score over 50 is acceptable, so it's still the lesser of two evils.

Tolzien also didn't take part in training camp, so by the time he took the field against the Eagles on November 11th, he might have had close to zero snaps with the first team offense because Seneca Wallace probably took all the snaps in practice that week. While Flynn had to shake off the rust, Tolzien was thrown into the fire (to mix my metaphors). Mike McCarthy was impressed with Tolzien after the Eagles game, and he might be bullish on how Tolzien would play in 2014 after a full offseason under his belt.

The first problem for Flynn is that he's a free agent. Obviously he won't need much to re-sign, but GM Ted Thompson isn't exactly known for accommodating free agents. Also, he was incredibly inconsistent last season, mixing a couple of good games (Vikings and Cowboys) in with a couple of absolute horror shows (Lions and Steelers). Depending on the circumstances, that might not be something that's acceptable for McCarthy. Finally, how healthy is Flynn's elbow? The Packers now know a lot more about his health status, and the prognosis might not be good. The injury could be causing a problem with arm strength and accuracy. As a general rule, it's probably better to go with the healthy player.

This isn't a slam-dunk endorsement for Tolzien. My first preference would be that both of them return in 2014 with Flynn as the No. 2 and Tolzien as the emergency quarterback. But if the plan is to chose one over the other, Tolzien could turn out to be the better player.

Packers reportedly favoring Tolzien over Flynn for their 2014 backup QB job

According to Fansided.com, the Packers, despite the fact that Matt Flynn led them to two big wins last season to keep them in the playoff race, are currently favoring Scott Tolzien for their 2014 backup QB job. Tolzien was terrible last year, going 0-2-1 in the three games he played, so why they're doing this is confusing if you ask me. 

On the other hand, Tolzien definitely could improve this offseason, but of course, it's still too early to know that for sure. I personally don't he will, but since I can't guarantee anything I guess we'll just have to watch the preseason.

Packers 2014 Free Agents: The Class of 19

The Packers have 19 free agents of their own to address this offseason, although many of them will be an easy decision. The three players who are either restricted or exclusive rights free agents (which really means they aren't free agents at all) will certainly be back at a small price, and several unrestricted free agents should be considered questionable to return under any circumstances.

M.D. Jennings constantly reminded of Seattle: http://t.co/0gnxfIm7ud pic.twitter.com/11WwdvSzqN
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) August 21, 2013

Exclusive rights: S Chris Banjo. He was a pleasant surprise in training camp, but he didn't show much on defense when he was given the chance to replace S Jerron McMillian. He'll probably be re-signed because of his play on special teams but he's not a legitimate option on defense.

Restricted: S M.D. Jennings. If Jennings is the starter in 2014, then I'll feel like the offseason was a failure. He didn't make any big plays last season and he had the lowest grade in pass coverage according to Pro Football Focus of any defender who was with the team at the end of last season. However, he's certain to return because no team should offer him a contract and the Packers might as well bring him back to push his replacement. He'll receive the minimum tender and provide some depth, at least during the preseason.

LB Jamari Lattimore. He was their best middle linebacker last season, but that was a low bar for him to clear because of down years by A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones. However, Pro Football Focus didn't give him a positive grade in either run defense or pass coverage, so it's not obvious he's the answer to their defensive problems either. He might receive a higher tender offer because he was an undrafted player. If they offered the minimum tender then there would be no draft pick compensation if he signed elsewhere. But contracts are very rarely even offered to restricted free agents, so the chances are low that he'll receive one of any sort from another team.

Unrestricted: TE Jermichael Finley, LB Robert Francois, and DE Johnny Jolly. With all three coming off serious season ending injuries, I'm not expecting these players to receive much interest from any team. Finley's recovering from recent spinal fusion surgery, Francois tore his achilles back in October, and Jolly might need neck surgery. I know Finley was very optimistic in recent radio interviews, but that doesn't mean much. They'll either be let go because of their injury concerns or they'll be re-signed for a low amount.

QB Seneca Wallace. He was only signed because of the disastrous Battle of the Backups last preseason, and he was awful himself when he replaced Aaron Rodgers. He's a good guy but I can't imagine he'll be brought back.

QB Matt Flynn. I'm sure most fans would like to see him re-signed, but the Packers don't have to make a big push for him. He's been on the roster of four different NFL teams in the past 12 months and fallen into the journeyman portion of his career. While he's valuable to the Packers, every other NFL team has probably figured out that he's not the answer to their problems. Hopefully he's re-signed in late March, early April, at the veteran's minimum.

DE C.J. Wilson. He didn't have a terrible season, but it's a very bad sign that he couldn't get any playing time (only 108 snaps last season) when the defensive line was a train wreck. He fell on the depth chart behind the equally unimpressive Josh Boyd, so I don't see why the Packers would want him back in 2014. There's plenty of similar players in the undrafted free agent pool, so I'd expect them to add depth through the rookie class instead of re-signing him.

Those six unrestricted free agents are the easy choices. If they return, and it's questionable whether they should even be brought back in the first place, it'll only be for the veteran's minimum or something loaded with playing time incentives. That leaves ten other unrestricted free agents who could or should be brought back and I'll write about them over the next couple weeks.