While the Packers certainly hope that their backup quarterback does nothing more strenuous than hold a clipboard this season, they learned in 2013 that things don’t always work out that way.
Aaron Rodgers missed seven games, forcing the Packers to throw Seneca Wallace and Scott Tolzien into the fire before coming back to the familiar Matt Flynn to solidify things down the stretch. Flynn is back this season and the expectation was that his experience in the Green Bay offense would keep him in the No. 2 job.
According to quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt, things aren’t working out that way. Tolzien is putting up a good fight and is working as the second quarterback in drills this week as the Packers try to figure out the best choice for the job.
“I think it’s up in the air right now. It’s in a competition. That’s healthy for everybody,” Van Pelt said, via the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “Right now both of them are playing well. Obviously, with Matt’s knowledge of the system, he’s at a little bit of an advantage. Scotty’s now had an offseason working in the system. He’s understands the footwork and the timing and the progressions and the routes, so he’s coming on as well.”
Van Pelt said the pecking order for Saturday’s game against the Rams hasn’t been set yet, but that the team wants to see Tolzien work with the second team so he could get the call before Flynn this week. If he continues to play well, the Packers will have to make a tough choice because Flynn has generally played well when called upon in Green Bay even if that hasn’t translated to his stints in other uniforms.