A month ago, trading their backup quarterback would have been unthinkable for the Green Bay Packers.
As he entered his fourth — and likely final — season in Green Bay, Matt Flynn had become a trusted, game-tested insurance policy for Aaron Rodgers.
However, two things have happened since the defending NFL champions opened training camp. First, Flynn has performed extraordinarily well, which has enhanced his trade value in a quarterback-starved league. Also, third-stringer Graham Harrell has made a surprising leap, giving the impression that his ceiling is higher than anyone thought.
The Packers are almost certain to lose Flynn after the season while getting nothing in return and appear to be grooming Harrell to become Rodgers’ backup in 2012. But general manager Ted Thompson said Tuesday that “all the teams are talking trades 24 hours a day now,” which means it’s not a stretch to think that several quarterback-needy teams have inquired about Flynn’s availability.
So should the Packers consider trading Flynn?
Actually, there are three ways to answer that question. In order, they are no, never and not a chance. Before we dismiss it out of hand, however, let’s look at why trading Flynn is a tempting proposition.
Working under coach Mike McCarthy and quarterbacks coach Tom Clements, Flynn has made a remarkable transition, going from a seventh-round draft pick of whom little was expected to one of the more capable backups in the NFL. And with his career arc still going up, Flynn will get a chance to be a starter somewhere, probably next year when he becomes an unrestricted free agent.
The Packers’ dilemma is this: They could trade Flynn while he’s still an asset, possibly for a second or third-round draft pick, or they could keep him as an insurance policy for a team that has the potential to win a second consecutive Super Bowl.
The only way the Packers should deal Flynn is if they think Harrell is an NFL-caliber backup. That’s a tough call on a guy who went undrafted out of Texas Tech in 2009, played a year in Canada and spent most of last season on the Packers' practice squad. Harrell doesn’t have a big arm, but he has a good feel for the passing game that is starting to show now that he’s comfortable in the system. If the Packers were to cut Harrell at this point, he would be snapped up in a flash.
packernews.com wrote: