Seattle’s Tavaris Jackson would be a major upgrade at backup quarterback
Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy have given no indication that they’re looking to replace Graham Harrell as the team’s backup quarterback, but that isn’t going to stop me from speculating on possible replacements. The pickings are extremely slim, but here are three players who I feel would upgrade the position:
My top choice would be Tavaris Jackson. I know Packer fans will scoff because of his less than stellar work with the Vikings and Seahawks, but he also had less than stellar coaching and less than stellar receivers in Minnesota and Seattle. Get him away from Brad Childress and Darrell Bevell and he might actually have a chance to develop into a pretty decent quarterback. When GM John Schneider decides to trade Jackson – and he will – his former colleagues and longtime buddies in Green Bay figure to get a call.
My second choice would be Colt McCoy. He’s not talented enough to win games with a bad team like Cleveland, but he is talented enough to win games with a good team like Green Bay. While he lacks a big arm, you don’t have to be a scout to see that his passes have more zip on them than the softballs Harrell lobs down the field. McCoy is also smart enough to pick up Green Bay’s system in a hurry. I’m not sure if the Browns are interested in trading him, but if they are, Thompson should get on the phone ASAP.
My third choice would be Pat Devlin. Maybe I’m just being stubborn, but I’ve always liked the former Delaware star who’s now fourth on the depth chart in Miami. I’m not sure he could win if pressed into duty, but he stands as good a chance as Harrell and he has more potential. Working with Joe Philbin is another plus. Devlin has good size and intelligence. He doesn’t have a big arm, but I’m pretty sure he could at least reach the sideline when trying to throw a ball away. He’s probably 50-50 to stick with the Dolphins.
In all honesty, I don’t think it matters which quarterbacks are available because my gut tells me that Thompson and McCarthy are going to stick with Harrell – unless he completely falls apart in the next two games. Both the GM and the coach like to reward their own for hard work, and there’s no denying that Harrell has busted his ass since arriving in Green Bay over two years ago. But then again, both Thompson and McCarthy also like to win. There’s the conundrum. It’ll be interesting to see how they choose to solve it.
Jackson may well be the best of the rest. He can move the chains with his feet–which is crucial for a gameday sub. McCoy seems more likely to win a game the next week when opponents can gameplan the sub QB. Hard to see TT trading for anybody, and GB is at the end of the waiver wire line.
What worries me most about Harrell, is that even if the Packers were up by 2 touchdowns and AR went out with the full fourth quarter left, I really doubt that he could even make it out with a wind with that much of a lead. I just don’t see him moving the chains and adding points.
I’m always intrigued by a QB that can move, especially one that has had bad coaching. I thought Vince Young might be an option before the Bills picked him up. Jackson and Young have had similar issues throwing the ball and similar bad coaching issues. So a young QB will be released and available after all the cuts and it could be Jackson or even Young.
I’ve often wondered what MM could do with T-Jack. But QB school’s over until next offseason. He’d make much more sense in the offseason imo.
Then again he does have some WCO background, which is apparently what MM’s Run and Shoot offense is based on.
I like Colt McCoy better, although I don’t like his concussion history.
“Then again he does have some WCO background, which is apparently what MM’s Run and Shoot offense is based on.” Now that’s funny.
Pack due back from Holiday today.
We cry about injuries but SD has now lost top RB and a top WR. I’ve often thought that if a team held its starters out for the first 4 to 6 weeks of the season it would have a great advantage. Not only would their back-ups be experienced but their starters would be healthy and fresh. Letting up at the end of a season does not lead to post-season success – starting late may.
I’d go with McCoy, if he’s available, and everybody knows TT isn’t going to offer much more than a sixth for a backup. I watched Colt for 4 years at UT and, yes, his arm is middling, but he’s got good mobility and escapability. He has the excellent accuracy that a guy without a big arm needs, and he’s bright and coachable. His skill set is sort of Rodgers-lite.
Seattle is holding T-Jack out of the 3rd preseason game because they want to trade him. He carries a $4 mil salary. No way TT bites on that.
McCoy is no better than Harrell – Stop the madness!
How many INT’s he throw last year? With their starters! I am not sold on Harrell, but know McCoy is not the answer.