GREEN BAY — While the performance of their backup quarterbacks might've pushed the Green Bay Packers to decide to add Vince Young to their roster, the team has actually been interested in the 2006 No. 3 overall pick for a while.

But it wasn't until Monday, when Young worked out for the team and impressed coach Mike McCarthy, who ran the workout, that Packers general manager Ted Thompson decided to make the move and add Young. He'll now compete with incumbent No. 2 Graham Harrell and third-stringer B.J. Coleman for the right to back up quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

"I was pretty excited about it," Young said of getting the call from the Packers. "We knew for a long time that my agent and the organization were kind of going back and forth and talking about it. When I heard Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy had some interest in me, I was very happy about it. I'm definitely a huge fan of Green Bay."

Young said the Packers' interest in him motivated him to make sure he was "staying ready, staying active and knowing that they had some interest in me, I wanted to make sure I was in shape and throwing and things like that so when my number was called, I definitely wanted to be ready."

Asked why he waited until now to add Young, Thompson replied. "It's like Mike McCarthy and I were always talking about, we just kind of wanted to add a little more competition. At the same time, it gives us an opportunity to look at a guy that's shown he's been able to win games in the NFL."

That Young has done. He's 31-19 in his 50 career starts, all but three of which came with the Tennessee Titans. He spent 2011 as a backup behind Michael Vick in Philadelphia and went 1-2 in three starts with the Eagles, then was out of football last year after the Buffalo Bills cut him at the end of training camp.

It won't be easy for Young to learn a foreign playbook and make an impression, but he did take a handful of snaps in the 11-on-11 periods in practice Tuesday. Nonetheless, after an up-and-down career to this point, the 30-year-old Young said he isn't fazed by the odds being against him.

"(It's) no challenge. I've been through pretty much everything you can think of," Young said. "I'm just happy, enjoying this and just happy to be here and being here with some special, special guys.

"My whole thing is to continue to keep working and get myself better and just staying ready — you never know."

Jason Wilde  wrote: