Harrell Signed To Active Roster; Quarless To Injured Reserve
The Packers have promoted the quarterback out of Texas Tech and signed an offensive lineman to take his place on the practice squad.
By PackerAaron
The Packers announced a trio of roster moves this morning:
The Green Bay Packers have signed QB Graham Harrell to the active roster from the practice squad, placed TE Andrew Quarless on injured reserve and signed G Jake Vermiglio to the practice squad. The transactions were announced Wednesday by Executive Vice President, General Manager and Director of Football Operations Ted Thompson.
As Jason Wilde points out, the Packers are most likely protecting Harrell from being signed by another team late in the season. Personally, I'm anxious to see what Harrell looks like with a full offseason under his belt, including participating in Mike McCarthy's quarterback school. (To that end, I really hope Tom Clements doesn't leave)
Some additional information about the newest member of the practice squad, who tried out for the team on Monday:
Vermiglio (vuhr-MIGG-lee-oh), a 6-foot-5, 329-pound rookie out of North Carolina State, signed with the Arizona Cardinals as a non-drafted free agent on July 30 and was released by the team on Aug. 24. He played in 45 games with 32 starts for the Wolfpack, earning All-Atlantic Coast Conference honorable mention recognition as a senior. Vermiglio will wear No. 64.
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE.
__________________________
Comments (16)
December 07, 2011 at 12:15 pm
Hope I'm looking into nothing but Harrell signed so we have a back up to flynn cause we are sitting Rodgers for rest?? I really hope not!!! 19-0 GO PACK GO
December 07, 2011 at 12:20 pm
You're looking into nothing.
About 16 teams are effectively eliminated from the playoffs with the primary reason being a lack of talent. We're approaching the time of year where it makes sense to raid practice squads where the players potential (especially from a winning franchise) exceeds what they currently have on the bottom half of their active 53.
i.e. - Harrell could be one of those guys and the Packers want to protect a developmental guy they feel has a ceiling high enough to be a competent back-up.
December 07, 2011 at 12:22 pm
Also, Harrell is better than anything the Bears, Chiefs, or Colts can trot out there.
December 07, 2011 at 01:00 pm
That was my initial reaction when seeing the headline as well, but Wilde's explanation makes more sense. Hell, the dongslinger's name is even coming up again, so that tells you everything you need to know about how desperate the situation is at QB for some teams.
I personally don't think this says anything about the long-term prospects for Harrell, they're just protecting this season in case Flynn gets hurt in mop-up duty in the last two games, but you could read into this that they expect to lose Flynn next year (logical assumption considering he's a free agent) and want a backup that's at least been in the system for next year.
By the way Aaron, doesn't Harrell aleady have a full offseason under his belt (last year)?
December 07, 2011 at 12:35 pm
I had a brain fart thinking it was Justin, and nearly lost my mind.
December 07, 2011 at 06:55 pm
Me too...I was thinking, geez, is our D-line that bad?
December 07, 2011 at 12:37 pm
I have no idea why anyone would want Harrell when you have people like Hanie, Palko,and Painter.
December 07, 2011 at 12:56 pm
Anyone else excited about the addition to the photobombing team?
December 07, 2011 at 05:20 pm
Yes.
December 07, 2011 at 02:25 pm
If anything, I wonder if this move portends a willingness to let Matt Flynn walk next year.
December 07, 2011 at 02:38 pm
It absolutely does. Kolb and Whitehurst have really screwed guys like Flynn.
December 08, 2011 at 08:14 am
Sure it does. What I don't get is how they will protect Flynn from leaving as a free agent and get nothing for his developement, as they will most likely put the franchise tag on Finley.
December 07, 2011 at 02:42 pm
Say the Bears wanted to sign Harrell off the Packers practice squad. Do the Packers get a right to match and elevate him to the 53? Or do they lose him automatically?
December 07, 2011 at 03:19 pm
I'm reading now that Buffalo also wanted Harrell on their 53. So, I guess that answers my question.
December 07, 2011 at 05:24 pm
Practice squad players are free agents. As long as a team signs them to the active roster they can go. At the same time a team could pay someone $2million to stay on the practice squad (not that they would). Complete free agents.
December 08, 2011 at 02:51 am
If Quarless hadn't been injured, I wonder if they would have cut anyone to make room for Harrell?