Green Bay Packers quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers (12) , B.J. Coleman (9) and Graham Harrell (6) wait to run through a drill during organized team activities at Ray Nitschke Field. Mandatory Credit: Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports

With Super Bowl XLVII now in the books, all 32 NFL teams are back to 0-0, including the Green Bay Packers. The focus now shifts to how teams will change their makeup for the 2013 season.

For the Green Bay Packers, that means not only addressing their obvious faults (offensive line, running back, inside linebacker) but their less apparent deficiencies as well.

One such deficiency is the backup quarterback position.

When you have a spectacular and sturdy quarterback like Aaron Rodgers, it’s easy to forget just how important a solid backup can be. After taking 51 sacks in 2012 – Rodgers’ second 50-plus sack season in his five years as starter – the possibility of Rodgers being knocked out for a game or more is uncomfortably high.

The Packers have been one of the more responsible teams when it comes to acquiring reliable backup QBs over the last two decades. Aaron Rodgers was once such a backup, as was Matt Flynn. Both demonstrated dynamic ability during their spot duty as backups for the Packers. While expecting another backup of that caliber is probably asking too much, an improvement over the current situation may be warranted.

Currently, the only quarterbacks on the extended roster are Graham Harrell and B.J. Coleman. While Harrell gets undue criticism for the fumbled snap on his first NFL play, he certainly doesn’t intimidate with his physical abilities nor has he shown the ability to minimize bad plays and keep the Packers in a game. That said, he’s a very smart player who with more seasoning could become a Doug Pederson-type backup. B.J. Coleman is essentially the polar opposite. He’s raw, wild, and frankly pretty cocky, but he’s got a plus arm and is very coachable.

Let’s review some possibilities:

Graham Harrell

Stick With Harrell

The status quo is often the least popular choice, yet that doesn’t make it a poor one. Graham Harrell is a heady player who has made strides each year in the Packers system. With a few more improvements, he’ll be a perfectly adequate backup quarterback.

The concern is whether Harrell can take that next step. His arm is not going to get any stronger, nor is he going to become a more mobile passer. There’s a chance this is the peak of Harrell’s ability. The coaches have supported Harrell publically, and while this staff knows how to develop and evaluate quarterbacks, this could just be puffery. We’ll know the truth once we see how many snaps Harrell gets in comparison to B.J. Coleman.

BJ Coleman (9)
Rob Leifheit-USA TODAY Sports

Develop B.J. Coleman

B.J. Coleman has the physical talent and Mike McCarthy has a track record of developing quarterbacks though his QB School.

Coleman will have gone through that program twice when the 2013 regular season kicks off. It’s not inconceivable that he’d be ready for the number two job at that point. After all, Matt Flynn served as the top backup in his rookie year.

While Coleman is still an unknown to us, the coaches have seen him all season on the practice squad. He served as the scout team quarterback, and for the most part the Packers were prepared. Coleman’s development will be an interesting storyline during training camp.

Reacquire Matt Flynn

Matt Flynn
Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

I only bring this up to address how costly and difficult such a move would be. Flynn signed a three-year $19.5 million deal last offseason to start for Seattle. The Seahawks don’t actually need to part with Flynn, as it is estimated they have $18.6 million in cap space.

With an incoming quarterback draft class that is weak at the top, Flynn could once again be a very marketable trade piece. Seattle isn’t going to cut him, nor are they going to give him away. It’s hard to imagine Thompson giving up the required draft pick or picks for a player he let walk a year ago.

Alex Smith
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Sign or Trade for Alex Smith

This is another popular suggestion among Packer fans. Alex Smith was the number one overall pick for a team which employed Mike McCarthy as offensive coordinator. Undoubtedly, McCarthy was part of that selection. Furthermore, Smith just completed his most efficient season to date while being shunned in favor the more physically capable Colin Kaepernick. While Smith could be traded, the team might do him a favor and cut him so he can choose his own destination. This is why I don’t see Smith coming to Green Bay. If the 49ers trade him, it’s unlikely they will do so for what the Packers would be willing to part with. If Smith is cut, he’s not going to go to a team with an established starter, much less a superstar like Aaron Rodgers.

Sign Tim Tebow

Tim Tebow
Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

Count me as completely uninterested, or however you describe the lowest possible level of interest. In three years, Tebow has completed less than 50 percent of his passes, quit on his team, and failed to unseat Mark Sanchez as starting quarterback.

That’s a dreadful resume.

While he says all the right things in the press and can be used in some interesting ways (though none of them seem to work as a part-time player), he’s not a capable passer. Green Bay doesn’t have the setup to replicate what Tebow did in 2011 as Denver’s starter.

Look to the Draft

Senior Bowl south squad quarterbacks Tyler Wilson of Arkansas (8) with E.J. Manuel of Florida State (3) and Landry Jones of Oklahoma (14)
John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

It’s been said that it’s a bad year to be drafting a quarterback. This is both true and false depending on your needs. The top of the quarterback class isn’t close to last year (Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III) or the year before (Cam Newton). However, it’s a much deeper class than normal, and a starting level prospect can be found as late as the middle rounds.

That’s where the Packers could find their backup if they take this approach. A player like Oklahoma’s Landry Jones or  Florida State’s E.J. Manuel need only fall a little for the Packers to swoop in during the fourth round. If that doesn’t happen, quality options like Miami of Ohio’s Zac Dysert could be had in the fifth or later.

One player that Packers fans will be invested in is Vanderbilt’s Jordan Rodgers, Aaron’s little brother. While the stories would write themselves –  writers always put the ME in Media – this probably wouldn’t be a smart direction for the Packers. Jordan doesn’t have NFL ability let alone the athleticism or arm talent of his MVP brother. He’s a seventh round pick at best, but more likely an undrafted free agent. The Packers would be wise to just steer clear of this potential minefield.

Jason Hirschhorn covers the Green Bay Packers for Lombardi Ave. He has previously written for Hail to the Orange, College Hoops Net, Mocking the Draft, LiveBall Sports, and the List Universe. He is currently a senior writer for Beats Per Minute, an indie-music webzine. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/JBHirschhorn.

Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson must lead the charge for significant changes this offseason. Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Editor’s note: This piece was written Friday, Jan. 25, prior to the information about the possible amount that New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis may demand as part of a new contract. While demands and reality are sometimes far apart, we’ll let you decide. This is just a heads up to you, the reader, as you consider the Packers’ 2013 personnel options.

Knowing Ted Thompson’s anal attitude when it comes to change, I understand that my hope the Green Bay Packers go all-in embracing change this offseason is delusional.

You see, you can call me crazy, but I’m not – really.

Aside from Aaron Rodgers and his corps of receivers, the Packers are in a world of hurt and they’ve got to do something about it. That something involves changes … big changes

Greg Jennings will be gone. Jeff Saturday is gone. Donald Driver is gone. A.J. Hawk should be gone and Charles Woodson could also be headed down the road. Throw in the fact that the Packers’ running game is in limbo, the defense was embarrassed badly in their last game of the year and they have no backup quarterback.

Yes, Houston, we have a serious problem.

Change is a-comin’ in Green Bay whether we like it or not and Ted Thompson has got to lead the charge, not shrink from it with his lame draft and develop philosophy. Yes, it works, but it takes time – like five years. This is the win-now National Football League and it requires that front office personnel utilize all the tools at their disposal – the draft, free agency, creative manipulation of the salary cap and trading. Thompson loves the Draft – check; Thompson uses free agency once in a blue moon – check; his manipulation of the salary cap has been non-existent – check; and his use of the trade outside the draft has been nil – check.

So, what’s the answer?

Well, first off, he can’t pay Charles Woodson $10 million per year, nor can he afford to continue to pay A.J. Hawk the big bucks, so he’s probably got to cut those guys loose which will free up some change. He can’t afford to pay Greg Jennings number-one receiver money, so there’s some more change. He’ll be dropping big chunks of change with the departures of Saturday and Driver.

Aug 26, 2012; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis (24) defends against Carolina Panthers wide receiver Seyi Ajirotutu (19) during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports

Do the Packers use some of that money to go out and get a guy like Darrelle Revis? He was once thought to be the top player in all of football. His island was impenetrable, but he has only played in two games in the last year and is coming off knee surgery. He will command tens of millions to whatever team decides to take the chance on him.

I say why not? Could he become the John Hadl of Thompson’s reign? I doubt it. He is only 27 and has a few good years left in the tank should the Packers want to take that risk. However, they will really have to want him and to think that Thompson would pull the trigger is probably fantasy, but we’ve got to visit fantasyland every now and again and hope that TT joins us.

Remember when Ron Wolf traded for a guy name Brett Favre and we all said, “who?”

Does Thompson give up a first round draft choice for Revis like Wolf did with Favre? Will he sacrifice the pick that has given us Derek Sherrod and Nick Perry for someone like Revis.

It would be a change that gives us a potential shutdown defensive player that would make everyone around him that much better. It could be the player that brings about a defense that could make the difference between defeat in the second round of the playoffs to that team that finally gets over the hump like they did in 2010.

Yes, call me crazy. Call me delusional. But if this team is going to evolve into another championship team, changes have to be made. Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel called the Packers soft. I agree with him. TT needs to beef up the toughness and Revis could be the start.

Couple that move with his usual late draft magic, and Thompson could help this team cut away the dead wood and add new life and new direction.

The Packers have to make changes this year – significant changes. And it’s not crazy.