The Green Bay Packers weren't expecting to have any young quarterbacks on the roster heading into this weekend's rookie minicamp. Green Bay had to cover its tracks and make sure it had actual throwers this weekend all while continuing to work things out with franchise quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
The Packers took care of the situation Saturday, signing Kurt Benkert to the roster. Green Bay signed Blake Bortles earlier this week to be the third quarterback, but Bortles is a veteran -- so he wasn't eligible to participate in rookie minicamp. Jordan Love, the team's 2020 first-round pick, also isn't able to participate despite not playing a single snap in his rookie campaign.
Green Bay brought in Beckert and Chad Kelly on a tryout basis, settling on Benkert for the fourth quarterback role. An undrafted free agent out of Virginia in 2018, Benkert has never played a regular-season NFL snap and was rostered on the Atlanta Falcons' practice squad in 2018 and 2020 (missed all of 2019 with an injury). The Packers didn't draft a quarterback nor add one in their rookie undrafted free agent class, but covered their tracks with the free agent signing of Bortles and the addition of Benkert this weekend.
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Benkert could be the No. 3 quarterback depending on how the Rodgers situation plays out. Green Bay is still trying to patch things up with Rodgers, amidst reports he no longer wants to play for the franchise. If Rodgers is a no show at mandatory minicamp or training camp, the Packers at least will have three quarterbacks on the roster.
Love may have to become the starter for the Packers in 2021, whether he's ready or not. Benkert isn't expected to compete for a roster spot if Rodgers is on the team, but the situation with Rodgers is fluid. At least the Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst kept his word about adding quarterbacks to get Green Bay through the offseason.
