May 16, 2008

Forget about a fringe veteran like Daunte Culpepper. Same goes for Craig Nall, who clung to a roster spot as the No. 3 quarterback last season. Moving forward, team sources tell us the Packers appear to have complete confidence in the abilities of a pair of rookies — second-round pick Brian Brohm and seventh-round pick Matt Flynn — as the backup signalcallers behind Aaron Rodgers. “They’re very satisfied with both guys,” said one longtime team insider who got an up-close look at Brohm and Flynn in Green Bay’s minicamp in early May. “Brohm has a pretty good arm, a little better than Flynn’s,” the insider told PFW. “He looked healthy — which has been an issue — and he showed some mobility. As for Flynn, (Packers GM Ted) Thompson was shocked he was still available in the seventh round. He looked pretty decent. As big a thing as any with both guys is that they were winners in strong college programs.” The numbers don’t lie. Brohm posted a 24-9 record as a starter at Louisville, including an Orange Bowl victory following the 2006 season. Flynn, who waited patiently behind JaMarcus Russell before becoming the starting QB at LSU, had an 11-2 mark as a starter and led the Tigers to the national championship last year. Could either rookie QB, particularly Brohm, immediately challenge Rodgers, who has yet to start a game at the pro level? We hear that’s extremely unlikely. Since checking in March 17 for the start of the team’s offseason workout program, we’re told Rodgers has established a strong, confident presence in the locker room that has the team’s coaches genuinely excited about his future.