The Rhinelander Daily News - Online news and information for the Rhinelander, Wisconsin region

Special to the Daily News

GREEN BAY - The Green Bay Packers will be taking their time to look at various options this year at the quarterback position during free agency and the upcoming draft.

"I think fans can always look forward to Brett (Favre) being there, playing and playing well," Packers quarterback coach Darrell Bevell said. "We just have to figure out what is going to be at that position behind Brett."

The Packers are already looking an many options, one of which is free-agent quarterback Billy Volek.

"Billy doesn't have a great deal of playing time in the league, although he's been in the league for four years," Bevell said. "He played a game this year against the Bills and won the game."

The Packers brought in Volek, who played in seven games last season as the backup to Steve McNair in Tennessee, for a visit Sunday night and Monday.

"He's very poised and manages situations well," Bevell said. "He's athletic and could make a few plays out there."

When Mike Sherman spoke with Volek, he was up-front about the reality that Volek won't get a chance to play until Favre calls it quits, whenever that might be.

"I think honesty is always the best sales pitch," Sherman said. "(Volek) knows our situation, and he knows Brett's situation. Brett could play for one more year or three years or five years. Who knows? And he understands all that."

Packers offensive coordinator Tom Rossley was set to meet with Favre at his home in Hattiesburg, Miss., this week, much as Sherman did last offseason, to gauge how the three-time NFL MVP is doing. But while the staff is confident that Favre will be around beyond 2004, the coaches and scouts are studying the free-agent crop - of which Volek is the most attractive - and the draft class - of which North Carolina State's Phillip Rivers and Tulane's J.P. Losman most interest Green Bay. After visiting the Packers, Volek, who visited Atlanta last week, left for a visit to Denver. Although his situation has drawn comparisons to that of Carolina's Jake Delhomme, who went from a backup in New Orleans to a starter for the Panthers, in 2003 no team has made an offer to Volek that would indicate he would be its starter.

Another option, which many fans and media are thinking could be in the works, is bringing in a quarterback early in the draft.

"It's not really my time. I have a lot of faith in coach Sherman when it comes to the draft," Bevell said. "I hope we get a guy early, but no matter what, the guy that we get we will coach him and coach him hard."

With the first mini-camp coming up right after the NFL draft in April, Bevell said fans might notice the Packers bringing in more quarterbacks - sometimes just as a way to rest Favre.

Notes: Volek's agent, Ken Staninger, did not return a message Tuesday, but Packers vice president of player finance Andrew Brandt said there were "no negotiations" between the sides. Volek is seeking low starting-quarterback money, and the Packers would like to pay him something closer to the two-year, $4 million deal Delhomme got from the Panthers.

Tell us what you think...

Comments »

The comments above are from readers. In no way do they represent the views of the Rhinelander Daily News.