Backup QB

[Harlan Huckleby]

I really disliked Flynn last year with his ramen noodle arm. Sounds like he was not recovered from injury. Time to jump on bandwagon.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/270334021.html

I think they ought to keep Tolzien too. Emergency QB doesn't count on game day 46. There's a 50-50 chance Arod will miss some games.

[Carolina_Packer]

I really disliked Flynn last year with his ramen noodle arm. Sounds like he was not recovered from injury. Time to jump on bandwagon.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/270334021.html

I think they ought to keep Tolzien too. Emergency QB doesn't count on game day 46. There's a 50-50 chance Arod will miss some games.

Totally agree on keeping Tolzien. God forbid they go through another stretch without Rodgers like they did last year, but they have to be ready and not short-change the importance of the backups at that position like they did when they had Graham Harrell there.

[vince]

I'm in the camp of keeping Flynn or Tolzien as back-up and developing Rettig on the practice squad. You get past the back-up you're in dire straits no matter how you look at it and there's too much talent and need at other spots to use a 53-man spot on a 3rd QB. Last year was great to eek into the playoffs but without Arod the hope of going deep is practically nil.

[Harlan Huckleby]

without Arod the hope of going deep is practically nil.

I thought we dispelled this argument last year. The quality of the backups means a lot, you need to win games when Arod is out.
Last year the team had 4 different starting QBs. I can see the argument for keeping 2, but 3 is not excessive.

[vince]

I thought we dispelled this argument last year. The quality of the backups means a lot, you need to win games when Arod is out.
Last year the team had 4 different starting QBs. I can see the argument for keeping 2, but 3 is not excessive.

They kept 2 last year and eeked into the playoffs. Tolzien was promoted from the PS when Rodgers went down.

They eventually kept three with Rodgers promising to return - and then hung onto Tolzien the last couple games to push for back-up this year. He does have a better arm but if he isn't clearly better than Flynn he's not worth hanging onto. If he is then Flynn's not. Either one would probably be available as a street pick-up if needed.

I'm saying that keeping three would have had virtually no impact. They still eek into the playoffs sans Rodgers and then it all depends on how sharp he is when he gets back in terms of how far they go postseason. Without him they got no shot with 2, 3 or 10 backups.

[Bretsky]

They kept 2 last year and eeked into the playoffs. Tolzien was promoted from the PS when Rodgers went down.

They eventually kept three with Rodgers promising to return - and then hung onto Tolzien the last couple games to push for back-up this year. He does have a better arm but if he isn't clearly better than Flynn he's not worth hanging onto. If he is then Flynn's not. Either one would probably be available as a street pick-up if needed.

I'm saying that keeping three would have had virtually no impact. They still eek into the playoffs sans Rodgers and then it all depends on how sharp he is when he gets back in terms of how far they go postseason. Without him they got no shot with 2, 3 or 10 backups.

Tolzien...low upside

I am fine keeping Flynn

[Brandon494]

Never understood why everyone is so high on Tolzien, dude is garbage.

Flynn is this generation's Doug Pederson.

[Bretsky]

Never understood why everyone is so high on Tolzien, dude is garbage.

Flynn is this generation's Doug Pederson.

Completely agree

I bleed Badger and even with my jaded eyes I don't see much in Tolzien

If I need somebody to go a four game stretch and play well I'm rolling with Flynn

And if we keep a 3rd QB IMO there will be guys with much greater upside than Tolzien available

[Harlan Huckleby]

And if we keep a 3rd QB IMO there will be guys with much greater upside than Tolzien available

The QBs they danced with last year include Seneca Wallace, Vince Young, BJ Coleman, and Graham Harrell. Tolzien looked a bit better than those guys.

Now in 2014 you think there is going to be a gem in the scrap heap with much greater upside than Tolzien?

I think you are going to be one of those guys who spends his retirement searching for hidden treasures.

[Patler]

I think they ought to keep Tolzien too. Emergency QB doesn't count on game day 46.

The emergency QB rule was abolished 3 years ago. Before then, a designated third QB did not count against the then game day limit of 45 active players. They abolished that and went to a 46 player active roster, and everyone counts. If you chose to have three QBs available, the third one counts against the 46 player limit.

[MadScientist]

The emergency QB rule was abolished 3 years ago. Before then, a designated third QB did not count against the then game day limit of 45 active players. They abolished that and went to a 46 player active roster, and everyone counts. If you chose to have three QBs available, the third one counts against the 46 player limit.

The real issue is that a 3rd QB will count against the 53. What position do you go thin to keep both backups?

Let's see what they can do in the preseason. If Flynn looks better and stronger, keep him. If Tolzien has improved his accuracy and decision making to the point that he's the best option, keep him.

[Patler]

The real issue is that a 3rd QB will count against the 53. What position do you go thin to keep both backups?

Let's see what they can do in the preseason. If Flynn looks better and stronger, keep him. If Tolzien has improved his accuracy and decision making to the point that he's the best option, keep him.

The Packers have often allotted one or two spots on the 53 man roster to development guys who are not ready to play. Giacomini for a couple years, then McDonald. They have carried 5 TEs, 3 FBs. If they have a QB suitable for development, they have room on the roster for him, unless ("until" for GB) a rash of injuries makes it hard to find 46 healthy bodies to suit up on game days.

[Guiness]

I thought we dispelled this argument last year. The quality of the backups means a lot, you need to win games when Arod is out.
Last year the team had 4 different starting QBs. I can see the argument for keeping 2, but 3 is not excessive.

Yup. Packers made it into the playoffs despite him being out for significant time. Granted, they snuck in, not in control of their own destiny, but they got in. To use the cliche, at that point it's a new season and anything can happen. There were reasons the Packer didn't deep into the playoffs last year, but Rodgers injury was not one of them.

[3irty1]

Flynn is a proven backup who can get you out of a game but IMO his real value has been as the leader of the scout team offense. When our defenses were at their best it was Flynn preparing them.

Tolzien has been with us a year, and spent two more in SF playing in a system that made Alex Smith look like he was worth two second rounders. At this point I doubt he'll ever learn to take care of the ball as well as Flynn which is pretty much the only thing I want in a backup. If we needed a backup backup he'd be at the top of my list of guys to call but I wouldn't bet an inactive roster spot that he won't be around.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Packers seem to have really lucked out with Flynn. I've always heard that one should buy low and sell high. They got Flynn when he was struggling with elbow problems, nobody wanted him. They have him under contract until he is 30. Age and a couple bed-shitting incidents might keep him affordable.
He contributed well enough last year. Now he is throwing ball better. As Borat would say, "Great Success!"