Getty images Nick Mullens of the Cleveland Browns.
The Green Bay Packers will likely be looking for a replacement for Aaron Rodgers this offseason, and Cleveland Browns backup quarterback Nick Mullens has been suggested as an option to fill out the Packers’ quarterback depth chart.
In a January 29 column, Bill Barnwell of ESPN broke down some options for the team, which included Mullens, 26, as a capable backup who could push Jordan Love, the Packers’ first-round pick in 2020.
Here’s what Barnwell had to say on Mullens being a possible fit in Green Bay to provide competition on the depth chart:
[Packer head coach] Matt LaFleur can get plenty of intel on Mullens from both a former co-worker in Shanahan and his brother, Mike, who was San Francisco’s passing game coordinator while Mullens was in San Francisco. Mullens was thrust into the starting lineup in 2018 when Jimmy Garoppolo and C.J. Beathard suffered injuries and delivered an impressive performance in a win over the Raiders.
He is competitive and familiar enough with this offense to step in as a No. 2 quarterback. If the Packers are sure Love is their man, Mullens would be a reasonable choice as his backup.
Barnwell also suggested Marcus Mariota and veteran Brian Hoyer as possible options for the Packers via free agency.
The Packers brass made it clear last week that they want him back in 2022.
“A key factor will be whether Aaron Rodgers comes back for the 2022 season,” Packers President Mark Murphy said in his monthly column, posted February 5. “Matt, Brian, executive vice president/director of football operations Russ Ball and I are all in agreement that we want Aaron to come back. He is likely to win his fourth league MVP, is the unquestioned leader of our team and is still playing at a high level at 38.”
Mullens Comes With Starting Experience
For most of the year, Mullens was the third quarterback on Cleveland’s depth chart, although he did start on December 20 after both Baker Mayfield and Case Keenum were placed on the COVID-19 list.
Mullens nearly led Cleveland to a victory. He completed 20 of 30 passes for 147 yards and a touchdown in a 16-14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders that came on a last-second field goal.
“Any time you step on the field, it is a new opportunity. It is a huge opportunity. The goal is to play as long as you can,” Mullens told reporters when he got the nod to start for the Browns. “The only way to do that is to prove it each and every day and each and every opportunity. This is just the next opportunity. I have been blessed in some really different ways to get my opportunities, so it is up to me and up to our team to really go and take advantage of them.”
Originally signed by San Francisco as an undrafted free agent in 2017, Mullens had appeared in 19 career games with 16 starts prior to his Browns tenure, completing 387 passes for 4,714 yards with 25 touchdowns. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
Browns Have Their Own QB Conundrum
The Browns have their own quarterback situation to figure out, with Baker Mayfield’s future uncertain beyond this season in Cleveland. The team has committed to Mayfield to be the starter next season, although that could change if the right trade or free-agent signing arose.
“We fully expect Baker to be our starter and bounce back,” Browns general manager Andrew Berry told reporters in January. “Generally speaking, we are looking forward to Baker obviously getting healthy in the offseason and then putting good work into the spring and with his coaches for having the type of season we know he can have moving forward.”
Mayfield is coming off a down season that was spoiled by various injuries, most notably a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder. In 14 games, he passed for 3,010 yards and 17 touchdowns, both of which are career lows. The former top pick had surgery on his shoulder on January 19 and is expected to be ready for training camp.