AllGreenBayPackers.Com

Andrew Quarless

1) Introduction: When the Packers drafted Quarless in the fifth round of the 2010 draft, few thought his impact on the following season would be as profound as it ending up being. At the moment when Jermichael Finley tore up his knee in Week 5 at Washington, Quarless had exactly 12 career professional snaps. From that point on, Quarless played over 500 for a Packers team that ended up winning the Super Bowl.

2) Profile:

Andrew Christopher Quarless

Position: TE
Height: 6-4
Weight: 252 lbs.
AGE: 23

Career Stats

3) Expectations coming into the season: Some saw a mini-Finley in Quarless when he came out of Penn State, but there were never the flashes of elite athleticism from Quarless in 2010 like Finley showed during his rookie season. After an injury in camp and the drafting of both D.J. Williams and Ryan Taylor, a number of people thought that Quarless might not make the final roster. He made the 53, but expectations for the second-year tight end were low.

4) Player’s highlights/low-lights: Instead of becoming a player he wasn’t, Quarless dedicated himself to becoming the Packers No. 1 blocking tight end. Mission accomplished. Quarless played 204 snaps in 13 games and all but 47 came in a blocking role. The improvements in Quarless’ game were noticeable in both run blocking and pass protection. He was at his best against New Orleans, Minnesota (away) and Tampa Bay. A horrific knee injury covering a punt in New York ended his 2011 season and could put his short-term NFL career in serious jeopardy.  Read more... (433 words + 1 image, estimated 1:44 mins reading time)

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During his Friday press conference, Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy ruled out both Desmond Bishop and Ryan Pickett for Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs but said that James Starks, Brandon Saine and Josh Sitton all have a chance to play.

Bishop and Pickett have both been held out of practice this week. Bishop will miss his third straight game after injuring his calf against the Lions in Week 13. Pickett suffered his second concussion of the season against the Raiders last Sunday and won’t make the trip to Kansas City.

Rookie D.J. Smith will make his third straight start for Bishop, and C.J. Wilson is listed behind Pickett on the Packers depth chart. Jarius Wynn and Mike Neal should also see more snaps in Pickett’s absence.

Both Starks (injury) and Saine (concussion) have missed this week’s practices, but McCarthy said they’ll be game-time decisions. If they checkout on the field in Kansas City before kickoff, each will have a chance to play. The Packers are hopeful that one of the two will be able to play, as Ryan Grant and John Kuhn are the only other healthy ball carriers on the roster. No roster move was made to fortify the position this week.

Sitton, who went out in Detroit with a knee sprain, has done light work at practice this week and has a chance to play. The coaching and medial staff will weigh how Sitton feels about giving it a go with a brace on his knee. If he can’t play, Evan Dietrich-Smith will make another start at right guard. One could only assume the Packers would play it safe with Sitton even if he thinks he can play on Sunday.  Read more... (445 words + 1 image, estimated 1:47 mins reading time)

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The Green Bay Packers have placed tight end Andrew Quarless on IR with a knee injury and promoted quarterback Graham Harrell to take his place on the active roster.

Quarless was hurt in the second half of the Packers’ 38-35 win over the New York Giants on Sunday. It was a horrific looking injury as Quarless’s knee buckled while attempting to cover a kickoff. Coach Mike McCarthy said that Quarless will have surgery on the knee in the coming days or weeks.

Harrell has been primarily on the Packers’ practice squad during his two years in Green Bay. After spending the first 13 games there last season, Harrell was signed to the active roster for the final three games after Aaron Rodgers suffered a concussion against the Detroit Lions.

Harrell earned another chance on the practice squad with a preseason that saw him complete 33 of 57 passes for 287 yards and two touchdowns.  While learning under Rodgers, Matt Flynn and quarterbacks coach Tom Clements, Harrell has shown vast improvements since the Packers signed him in May of 2010.

The Packers likely promoted Harrell for a couple of reasons. They have four healthy tight ends still on the roster, so bringing on another wasn’t an immediate need. But they also likely wanted to protect Harrell from being claimed off the practice squad in the final weeks of this season, as Flynn is a good bet to leave in free agency after 2011. Flynn has shown the potential to be a starting quarterback candidate in the NFL since being drafted in the seventh round of the 2009 draft. If Flynn leaves, the Packers may call on Harrell to be Rodgers’ primary backup next season.  Read more... (434 words + 1 image, estimated 1:44 mins reading time)

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Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy confirmed on Monday that tight end Andrew Quarless would be lost for the rest of the season due to a “significant” knee injury. Quarless was hurt on a kickoff in the second half on a horrific looking sequence that saw the second-year tight end’s knee buckle underneath him. He’ll have surgery in the upcoming weeks.

The injury is a tough break for Quarless, who was coming into his own as the Packers primary run blocking tight end this season. Quarless was also becoming a core cog in the Packers special teams coverage. To replace him, the Packers will likely lean more on Tom Crabtree in blocking sets and also rookies D.J. Williams and Ryan Taylor.

There was a silver lining Monday, as McCarthy said that the medical staff felt good about Charles Woodson’s status for this week after suffering a concussion in the second half Sunday. Woodson banged helmets with Ahmad Bradshaw in the flats and didn’t return. An independent neurologist will still have to evaluate and clear Woodson for practice and game participation, but that’s an encouraging sign for the Packers’ upcoming game with the Oakland Raiders this Sunday.

James Starks was the last of the injury news, and McCarthy said that his ankle injury wasn’t serious or long-term. They need to get him healthy—Starks has come out in three straight games—but he could still play on Sunday. McCarthy said they’ll make a decision on Starks by Wednesday.  Read more... (511 words + 1 image, estimated 2:03 mins reading time)

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Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy informed reporters Friday that safety Morgan Burnett suffered a broken hand in practice on Thursday, but he’s still expected to play Sunday against the St. Louis Rams. Despite missing Friday’s practice, Burnett is listed as probable and could play with a club around the broken hand. Undrafted rookie M.D. Jennings took Burnett’s snaps in practice today.

McCarthy also said that RT Bryan Bulaga (knee) is “prepared to play” and the “team feels good about his availability for Sunday.” If Bulaga does start against the Rams after missing two straight weeks, he’ll likely play at right tackle with Marshall Newhouse staying on the left side. Newhouse shifted to left tackle against the Falcons after Chad Clifton hurt his hamstring, and played well.

Clifton (hamstring) and DE Mike Neal (knee) are both out, but neither was close or practiced. G Josh Sitton was limited with an ankle injury but is listed as probable. G/C Evan Dietrich-Smith (foot) is questionable after being limited in both Thursday and Friday practices.

WR Greg Jennings (groin) was a full go on Friday after limited participation on Thursday. He’s probable for Sunday and almost certainly will play. Both Clay Matthews (quad) and Charles Woodson (foot/ankle) returned to practice after missing Wednesday and Thursday.

LB Frank Zombo (shoulder) was a full participant all week and plans to play Sunday. Zombo has missed the entire 2011 regular season after breaking his scapula against the Cardinals in the preseason.  Read more... (313 words + 1 image, estimated 1:15 mins reading time)

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Let’s change the pace a little bit, let’s talk about you.

Let’s talk about you the fan.

Now that General Manager Ted Thompson has won a Super Bowl using the “Thompson Method ™”, he can apparently do no wrong in the eyes of the fans.  People who had been clamoring for years to get more veteran free agents and big name signings have quieted down, ready to admit the error in their ways and venerate the white-haired one.  Even the most staunch Thompson hater is now ready to board the “draft and develop” bandwagon that Thompson preaches.

One interesting fact that I’ve noticed is that almost as adamantly as fans were criticizing him before he won a Super Bowl, fans are now just as adamantly supportive of him now that he has won one.  Fans now seem to think the same way as Thompson now, which brings up a interesting question: are Packers fans now psychologically predisposed to think like Ted Thompson?

It’s an interesting thought.  If you are a Packers fan right now, you couldn’t be happier and you’d like status quo to continue (repeat anyone?).  Obviously Ted Thompson did something right to win a Super Bowl (right?), so it makes sense that people are following in Thompson’s rationale now.  Read more... (1499 words + 1 image, estimated 6:0 mins reading time)

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Andrew Quarless

Four days prior to the Green Bay Packers’ first preseason game, the team released their first unofficial depth chart of the 2011 season. The Packers are scheduled to play the Browns on Saturday night in Cleveland.

While the first depth chart is certainly a great starting point for conversation, it’s too early to attach too much importance to it..

The Packers have been in training camp for less than two full weeks and have yet to play a preseason game, so this initial depth chart is subject to plenty of changes. Throughout the course of four preseason games and the practices in-between, the depth chart will almost certainly fluctuate. Don’t expect it to look the same come Sept. 8.

Below is the unofficial depth chart, courtesy of Packers.com. Any interesting notes are listed below the position, and anything listed as “OTHER” is under third string and not in any particular order.

OFFENSIVE DEPTH CHART

QB: Aaron Rodgers, Matt Flynn, Graham Harrell

RB: Ryan Grant, James Starks, Dimitri Nance, OTHER: Alex Green, Brandon Saine

Vic Ketchman said today in his mailbag that Alex Green might be creeping his way into the running back battle. So, to see him as at fourth string behind Dimitri Nance is somewhat surprising. As we will learn, rookies have a lot to prove.

FB: John Kuhn, Quinn Johnson, Jon Hoese

WR: Greg Jennings, James Jones, Randall Cobb OTHER: Brett Swain, Diondre Borel, Kerry Taylor  Read more... (889 words + 1 image, estimated 3:33 mins reading time)

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