The Green Bay Packers plan to sign Todd Bouman as their No. 2 quarterback behind Brett Favre, according to a source close to one of the three quarterbacks Green Bay contacted following the season-ending injury to Aaron Rodgers.
Bouman, 34, was Minnesota's No. 3 quarterback for four seasons and a backup to Daunte Culpepper for two years. In 2003, he signed a free agent contract with New Orleans and spent three seasons there, starting three games at the end of the 2005 season. He completed 68 of 122 passes for 722 yards with two touchdowns and seven interceptions.
In addition to Bouman, the Packers contacted quarterbacks J.T. O'Sullivan and Bradlee Van Pelt Sunday night, according to an NFL source, and arranged to have them perform in front of coaches and scouts. O'Sullivan, 27, played for McCarthy in New Orleans and was on the Packers roster in 2004. Van Pelt, 26, has been in Denver's West Coast offense since being drafted in '04.
Rodgers, the Packers' first-round draft choice in 2005, broke his foot Sunday and is out for the season. Favre was knocked out of the game with an elbow injury at the end of the first half but is expected to be OK for the game Monday night at Seattle.
The Packers' No. 3 quarterback is rookie Ingle Martin, a fifth-round pick out of Furman.
In addition, it's just gradually come out that linebacker Nick Barnett broke his hand near the end of the game Sunday. He is not expected to miss any games. According to reports, he will likely be outfitted with a "club" to protect his hand. The compromise would be that he would most likely come out on passing plays and be replaced by Abdul Hodge, recently back from his injury. There would be some shifting as to which of the linebackers play which positions on those passing downs.
Injuries are never good. But they make a bad loss -- like Sunday's 35-0 spanking -- seem even worse.
