Getty Packers QB Aaron Rodgers will miss Week 9's game vs. the Kansas City Chiefs.
With Aaron Rodgers and Kurt Benkert currently occupying the COVID-19 reserve list, and the former’s availability for Week 10 also in question, the Green Bay Packers have kicked the tires on a handful of quarterbacks. On Friday, November 5th, while Rodgers was making waves for his interview on The Pat McAfee Show, the Packers were hosting quarterbacks Clayton Thorson and Danny Etling for a workout.
The team is set to start 2020 first-round pick, Jordan Love, under center vs. the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 9. Fellow former first-rounder Blake Bortles, who was originally re-signed to the practice squad on November 4th, has been promoted to the Packers’ active roster, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, Rodgers will have an uphill battle to suit up for Green Bay’s Week 10 bout against the Seattle Seahawks:
Due to Rodgers’s unvaccinated test, Wednesday’s positive test means that he must miss at least 10 days. The earliest he can return is Saturday, November 13. That’s one day before a home game against the Seahawks. If he plays, he will have missed the full week of practice in advance of that game.
Outlook on Thorson, Etling
Thorson, a former fifth-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2019, has spent the entirety of his NFL career bouncing around the NFC East. After failing to make the Eagles’ final roster cut as a rookie, Thorson spent the entirety of his first pro season on the Dallas Cowboys‘ practice squad. Then, after Jason Garrett moved from Arlington to East Rutherford to man the Giants‘ offensive coordinator gig in 2020, Thorson followed him, latching on with the Giants’ practice squad.
The former Northwestern standout was called up to New York’s active roster from Week 13 through Week 15 of last season as an insurance policy with starter Daniel Jones dealing with a number of injuries. The Giants ultimately cut Thorson on August 16th of this year after losing out on the team’s No. 3 job to 2020 undrafted free agent Brian Lewerke.
One of the Big Ten’s most prolific passers of all time, Thorson finished his college career as Northwestern’s career leader in wins (35), completions (991), passing yards (10,731) and passing touchdowns (61). He has yet to appear in an NFL game.
Etling, a seventh-round pick of the New England Patriots in 2018, has spent time with the Atlanta Falcons, Seattle Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings. He was waived by the Vikings on August 23rd.
Etling’s big claim to fame in the pros was this 86-yard touchdown scamper against the Giants in the 2018 preseason:
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Giants Get Back Saquon & Xavier McKinney — Sort Of
While Rodgers remains on the COVID-19 reserve list, Giants running back Saquon Barkley and safety Xavier McKinney were each activated from the list on Friday, November 5th after false-positive tests.
Despite being removed from the list, Barkley will remain sidelined for his fourth consecutive game as he continues to nurse an ankle injury. As for McKinney, the team’s starting safety is expected to man his typical spot opposite Logan Ryan come Sunday — although head coach Joe Judge remained rather tight-lipped on the matter with reporters on Friday, stating that “from all the information we have, Xay’s in the building right now along with Saquon.”