By: Marques Eversoll
When the Packers released Vince Young as they worked their way down to their 53-man roster, many speculated whether more changes would be on the horizon, considering the team’s assumed No. 2 quarterback B.J. Coleman showed very little in the preseason.
On Monday, the Packers made a significant change by releasing Coleman and signing quarterback Seneca Wallace.
Wallace, 33, began the summer as a member of the New Orleans Saints before signing with the San Francisco 49ers. He has not played in a regular season game since he was with the Cleveland Browns in 2011 but has made 21 starts in his nine-year NFL career.
The Packers open up the regular season Sunday in San Francisco, and they now have two quarterbacks on the roster who have spent time with the 49ers. The team signed former Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Scott Tolzien to the practice squad Saturday.
In the divisional playoffs in January, the Packers were perplexed by 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick and the San Francisco offense to the tune of 45 points. Kaepernick puzzled the Packers, racking up 181 yards on the ground, a single-game record for a quarterback.
But with Wallace and Tolzien in the fold, perhaps the Packers will attempt to get inside 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh’s head in the week leading up to the game.
Last week, Harbaugh told reporters that Wallace was going to retire, according to the San Jose Mercury News. Wallace fired back, claiming he has not retired, but rather, “removed (himself) from the San Francisco situation because it wasn’t a perfect fit.”
Taking things a step further, Wallace accused Harbaugh and the 49ers of using him as leverage in order to get quarterback Colt McCoy to restructure his contract
“I’ve been around this game long enough where I can see what’s going on,” Wallace told the Des Moines Register. “And I realized right away the reason they brought me here was to get Colt to take a pay cut.”
There’s certainly bad blood between the Packers and 49ers, following Green Bay’s defensive debacle in last year’s playoffs. And from the sounds of things, the Packers’ new backup quarterback has some ill feelings towards San Francisco’s head coach.
As things currently stand, the Packers have two quarterbacks (Rodgers, Wallace) on the active roster, along with one (Tolzien) on the practice squad. Coleman may return to Green Bay’s practice squad if he clears waivers.
Marques is an intern at Cumulus Broadcasting and a communication major at UW-Green Bay. Check out some of his stuff at ALLGBP.com, and follow him on Twitter @MJEversoll.
