GB Auditions Two QBs You’ve Never Heard of
Dustin Baker
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The seedlings of contingency plans have been planted in Green Bay, Wisconsin, as the franchise and its fans are wholly unsure if quarterback Aaron Rodgers will return to the team in 2021.
On the first day of the 2021 NFL Draft, news broke that Rodgers was highly discontented with Packers leadership, signifying a rupture in the relationship that was previously theorized but never confirmed. The story was mentioned by Paul Allen of Minneapolis’ KFAN, and nationally-renown pundits like Adam Schefter confirmed the reporting hours later.
The last 11 days have ushered in a swirling hodgepodge of rumors, theories, and trade destinations pertaining to the 37-year-old Rodgers. The Packers quarterback has a Twitter account and could pursue countless other modes of media to denounce the notion of his malcontent, but he has yet to do anything of the sort.
So, the Packers must line up backup plans — figuratively and literally. The only two quarterbacks on the Packers roster as of May 9th, 2021, were the aforementioned Rodgers and 1st-Round commodity, Jordan Love, who Green Bay stunningly drafted one year ago. While the initial glimpses of Love’s abilities were wildly underwhelming, he would likely be “the guy” if Rodgers is traded, he retires, or he sits out.
More help in on the way in Green Bay — but it is rather anonymous help.
Chad Kelly might have a bit of name recognition as his uncle is former Buffalo Bills quarterback, Jim Kelly. The nephew, Chad, also made national headlines in 2018 when he purportedly broke into a stranger’s home, sat on the couch, and began talking in a disjointed manner. He was employed by the Denver Broncos at the time, but head boss John Elway wanted nothing to do with such tomfoolery and cut Kelly soon after.
Kelly has never attempted a pass in the NFL. He did see action for Denver in one game during 2018, rushing the football one time for a negative gain. Kelly was the final pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, classifying himself with the “Mr. Irrelevant” title while spending time with the Indianapolis Colts in addition to the Broncos. To date, Kelly’s magnum opus is a 2016 Sugar Bowl MVP award after a win by his Ole Miss Rebels over the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
Less is known about Kurt Benkert. The 25-year-old is from Baltimore, Maryland, and he had a decent collegiate career at the University of Virginia. So far, Benkert has been a practice squad personality for the Atlanta Falcons but has yet to experience any in-game NFL action. At 6’4″ and 215 pounds, Benkert has prototypical quarterback size — he just hasn’t earned a chance to sniff a real game yet.
Depending on how events transpire involving Rodgers, Kelly and Benkert could duke it out for QB2 and QB3 on the Packers 2021 roster.
If the summer goes pear-shaped in Green Bay for Love, Kelly, or Benkert, other free-agent quarterbacks like Robert Griffin III, Sean Mannion, Matt Moore, Colin Kaepernick, Brett Hundley, and Nick Mullens are also available.