So Thursday night's Packers game taught us one very important detail: if Aaron Rodgers gets sick/injured/suspended or for any reason needs to miss a game, the Packers are pretty much screwed.
Backup QB Graham Harrell had a really rought night.He mustered just five first downs and three points in nine series
He finished 12 for 24 for 100 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. To be fair to Harrell, the first INT came on an end of the half Hail Mary and the other acme when the intended receiver flat out fell down. Regardless, he looked a little lost and a lot less than Rodgers, making the Twitterverse wonder what kind of trade it would take to get the Browns to give up Colt McCoy (who was 4/6 for 58 yards).
There was some conjecture that the Packers have WR to spare and could maybe even get McCoy for just a pick in next year's draft. Someone said a fifth rounder and a Packers writer suffested it wouldn't even take that much.
Just last week, ESPN Wisconsin writer Jason Wilde profiled Harrell, pointing out he's the only No. 2 on the depth chart QB on any roster that's never taken a snap or thrown a pass in a regular season NFL game.
He was undrafted, spent a year playing Canadian football and since then has spent two years as the Packers No. 3 QB. The storyline is that he was signed after the 2010 offseason began, missed the offseason last year because of the lockout and will really benefit from a full offseason in 2012 - tonight's performance against a lackluster Browns team doesn't really give truth to that speculation or bode well for Harrell's status as the second QB on the depth chart.
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Aaron Rodgers missed time last season due to concussions and at this point I can't see how the Packers can trust the team in the hands of Harrell. Maybe he'll improve in the final weeks of preseason, but it seems unlikely the Packers can take that chance.
The team has playoff aspirations and can't afford to leave their fate in Harrell's hands.
If it's not Colt McCoy, the Packers need to find help elsewhere. Im loathe to say it, but wouldn't likely third stringer in Seattle Tavaris Jackson or third stringer in Cleveland Seneca Wallace be better options? At least they've played in NFL games.
John Parker Wilson is riding third or fourth string in Atlanta. Who knows if he's any good, but he did start at Alabama. Could he be worth a look?
It's all speculation at this point, but I can't imagine the Green Bay scouts aren't all over the country looking for someone - anyone - to be able to step into the 2nd QBs role.
