The Green Bay Packers: Homing in on final unsigned free agents?
QB Matt Flynn
Nov 9, 2014; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Matt Flynn (10) gets a pass off against Chicago Bears linebacker Shea McClellin (50) in the third quarter at Lambeau Field. Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports photograph
When the Green Bay Packers lost all-world quarterback Aaron Rodgers for half a season to a fractured clavicle back in 2013, they learned a lesson the hard way.
At the time, the Packers had just gone through the failed Vince Young experiment in preseason and then signed Seneca Wallace just before the start of the season to back up Rodgers.
The insurance policy was about to run out for Green Bay.
Rodgers went down, Wallace came in and the Packers playoff hopes went south. Wallace got hurt and Scott Tolzien tried his best, but it wasn’t until the Packers re-signed Matt Flynn that the franchise got back on track – sort of.
Matt Flynn should be cut by the Green Bay Packers.
Raymond T. Rivard photograph
Flynn provided some stability that season, and helped keep the team afloat enough until Rodgers returned in the final game of the season to lift the Packers to the playoffs.
During that 2013 season, Flynn had a pretty decent impact (four starts, five games total with GB):
– 7-4 TD/INT ratio
– 2 games of 50+ QBR (74.5 vs. MIN, 59.0 vs. DAL)
– 200+ yards passing in 4 of 5 games
– Led comebacks of 16 (MIN), 11 (ATL), and 23 (DAL); led to 2 wins (ATL/DAL), 1 tie (MIN)
Then in preseason last year, Tolzien and Flynn fought for the backup position.
Here are the stats of Tolzien and Flynn from last preseason:
• Tolzien – 26-of-38 for 338 yards (completing 68.4 percent), 8.9 yards per pass, no turnovers and a passer rating of 104.9.
• Flynn – 11-of-23 for 130 yards (completing 47 percent), 1 interception and a passer rating of 61.9.
Though the Packers ended up keeping both players during the 2014 season, Flynn was the number two and Tolzien was inactive during most regular season games as the number three.
But now that the Packers have re-signed Tolzien for 2015 and haven’t given any indication that they will spend money on Flynn, it’s most likely that Flynn is a memory.
There’s no reason to spend a million dollars on a player who could easily be replaced by a rookie quarterback who could be selected as a mid- to late-rounder in this spring’s draft.
So, what will it be for Flynn?
Conclusion: Flynn will not be re-signed
Next: Jamari Lattimore … Worth bringing back?