Tag: kurt benkert

Packers release backup QB Kurt Benkert

The Packers released backup quarterback Kurt Benkert on Friday.

The Green Bay Packers reduced the team’s quarterback room to three players by releasing backup Kurt Benkert on Friday.

Benkert, who signed with the Packers last May, spent the entire 2021 season on the team’s practice squad as the No. 3 quarterback behind Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love. He was activated to the roster as a backup to Love when Rodgers was out with COVID-19.

Benkert turns 27 in July. His release leaves the Packers with Rodgers, Love and Danny Etling as the three quarterbacks on the roster. The move comes at the conclusion of the team’s offseason workout program and opens up a roster spot on the 90-man roster.

Benkert, who became well-liked within the fan base, sent this tweet after the news:

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Aaron Rodgers asked Matt LaFleur to let Kurt Benkert take kneel downs to end game vs. Bears

Aaron Rodgers helped QB Kurt Benkert get on the field for the first time as an active NFL player on Sunday.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Kurt Benkert played two snaps in his first active NFL game on Sunday night, and Aaron Rodgers is at least partially responsible.

Coach Matt LaFleur said Rodgers pushed for Benkert to get the final kneeldown snaps to finish off the 45-30 win over the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field.

“Matter of fact, Aaron came up to me right before that and just wanted to make sure, because it was a special occasion, what has been? Four years in the league, first time dressing? He said, hey, let Kurt take the victory snaps. I said absolutely. It’s a well-deserved honor,” LaFleur said Monday.

Benkert kneeled twice for -2 yards after Chandon Sullivan’s interception late in the fourth quarter, representing the first NFL regular season action of his career. 

He entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2018. After spending three years but never appearing in a game for the Atlanta Falcons, Benkert signed with the Packers in May and won a job on the practice squad as the No. 3 quarterback during training camp.

Sunday night’s opportunity led to this incredible post-game tweet from Benkert:

Benkert was active for the Packers as a replacement for backup Jordan Love, who was on the COVID-19 reserve list. Kneeling down to end games has become a rite of passage for Rodgers backups in recent years, with both Love and Tim Boyle handling the honors since LaFleur arrived.

In fact, Boyle kneeled 18 times over 11 games with the Packers during the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Love kneeled three times to finish out a Week 2 win earlier this season.

Benkert is expected to revert back to the practice squad. Love will regain the job as the No. 2 quarterback once he returns from the COVID-19 reserve list.

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Kurt Benkert’s long wait finally comes to end on Sunday night

Kurt Benkert, who entered the NFL in 2018, will be active as the Packers’ No. 2 QB for the first time in his NFL career on Sunday night.

Kurt Benkert’s big moment is finally arriving on Sunday night.

The backup quarterback will be active for the first time in his NFL career when the Green Bay Packers face the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field. An undrafted free agent of Virginia, Benkert has never suited up for a game despite being in the NFL since 2018.

The Packers elevated Benkert from the practice squad to the 53-man roster to serve as the primary backup to Aaron Rodgers while Jordan Love is on the COVID-19 reserve list.

Benkert, 26, spent his first three seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, mostly on the team’s practice squad. The Packers signed him in May, and he stuck around as the team’s No. 3 quarterback on the practice squad.

The Falcons elevated Benkert from the practice squad for a game last season, but he didn’t dress as the No. 3 quarterback behind Matt Ryan and Matt Schaub. On Sunday night, he’ll be in uniform as the No. 2 quarterback (and only backup) behind Rodgers.

The last time Benkert was active for a game that counted was his final collegiate game, the Military Bowl between Virginia and Navy. It was played on Dec. 28, 2017.

Benkert did play in all three preseason games for the Packers. He completed 33 of 48 passes for 300 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

With Rodgers hobbled by a toe injury and Love out, Benkert had an opportunity to handle a majority of the first-team reps at practice this week, especially on Wednesday and Thursday.

Without a team to start the summer, Benkert is now only one play away from being under center for the Packers against the Bears at Lambeau Field.

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Packers elevate QB Kurt Benkert, sign QB Danny Etling to practice squad

The Packers made two moves at QB after Jordan Love went on the COVID-19 reserve list.

With Jordan Love on the COVID-19 reserve list, the Green Bay Packers made a pair of moves at quarterback behind starter Aaron Rodgers.

The team elevated Kurt Benkert from the practice squad to the active roster as a COVID-19 replacement and signed Danny Etling to the practice squad.

Benkert’s elevation provides the Packers with a suitable backup quarterback option should Love not return to the roster before Sunday’s showdown with the Chicago Bears. And with Rodgers still nursing a fractured left pinky toe and unlikely to practice this week, Etling gives the Packers another arm to work with over practices on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Benkert has been with the Packers since May and has remained on the practice squad all season. He is the best option to be the backup quarterback on Sunday if Love isn’t activated.

Etling was a seventh-round pick of the New England Patriots in 2018. He has spent time with five different teams in the NFL, including a stint with the Minnesota Vikings earlier this season.

The Packers could have brought back veteran Blake Bortles as an emergency option for the third time but instead decided to give Etling a chance on the practice squad.

Rodgers, Love and Benkert have all spent time on the COVID-19 reserve list this season.

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Packers activate QB Kurt Benkert, release QB Blake Bortles from practice squad

The return of Kurt Benkert marks the end of Blake Bortles’ run as the emergency quarterback for the Green Bay Packers.

The return of Kurt Benkert marks the end of Blake Bortles’ run as the emergency quarterback for the Green Bay Packers. The team activated Benkert from the COVID-19 reserve list and released Bortles from the practice squad on Monday.

Benkert, who returns to the practice squad, missed the last two weeks after testing positive for COVID-19. He was first placed on the reserve list on Nov. 2. The Packers signed Bortles to provide a backup for Jordan Love when Aaron Rodgers also tested positive for the virus during the leadup of Week 9’s meeting with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Bortles was elevated just once from the practice squad. He was the No. 2 quarterback behind Love in Kansas City but was not on the gameday roster for Sunday’s win over the Seahawks.

Benkert, who won the job as the No. 3 quarterback during training camp, has been on the practice squad all season.

Packers bringing back QB Kurt Benkert on the practice squad

The Packers are getting QB Kurt Benkert back on the practice squad.

The Green Bay Packers are returning quarterback Kurt Benkert on the practice squad, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Benkert, who was waived on Tuesday, went unclaimed on Wednesday. He will serve as the Packers’ No. 3 quarterback behind Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love.

Benkert signed in Green Bay after a tryout in May. He completed 33 of 48 passes for 300 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He averaged 6.3 yards per attempt and had a passer rating of 75.0.

Benkert, 26, started the team’s second preseason game against the New York Jets and played well in the first half.

The Packers can sign 16 total players to the practice squad.

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Packers releasing quarterback Kurt Benkert

The Packers are releasing Kurt Benkert and will keep only two quarterbacks on the initial 53-man roster in 2021.

The Green Bay Packers will keep only two quarterbacks on the 53-man roster to start the 2021 season.

The team is releasing third-string quarterback Kurt Benkert on Tuesday, per Paul Bretl of Dairyland Express. The news was confirmed by Bill Huber of SI.com.

Benkert, who was signed after a tryout in May, completed 33 of 48 passes for 300 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions during three preseason games, including a start against the New York Jets. He completed 68.8 percent of his passes, averaged 6.3 yards per attempt and had a passer rating of 75.0.

With NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers and first-round pick Jordan Love on the roster, the Packers had no need for a third quarterback on the roster.

However, there’s a good chance Benkert will return on the Packers practice squad if he clear waivers. He displayed a strong arm and an ability to create during three preseason games, so the possibility exists that another team will want him as a backup on the 53-man roster and claim him on Wednesday. If not, the Packers should welcome him back as the No. 3 on the practice squad.

Benkert, 26, went undrafted out of Virginia in 2018. He spent three seasons on the practice squad of the Atlanta Falcons before arriving in Green Bay.

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Secret Superstars of the preseason: Week 2

With the second week of the full 2021 preseason in the books, here are the players who did the most under the radar to state their cases.

As the preseason rounds to a close and NFL teams are looking down the barrel of final cuts, it’s more important than ever for those players on the bubble — or in the near vicinity of the bubble — to show all they can do. Not only to stick with their current teams, but also to make their attributes obvious to other teams if they are cut for whatever reason.

Not every player on this week’s Secret Superstars list is a bubble guy, but each player used Week 2 of the full preseason as their times to shine — at just the right time.

Packers sign QB Kurt Benkert after tryout at rookie minicamp

The Packers have added a fourth QB to the roster after rookie minicamp.

The Green Bay Packers saw enough from Kurt Benkert during rookie minicamp to sign the quarterback to the team’s roster.

Benkert, 25, tweeted a photo of himself signing a contract with the Packers. He joined Chad Kelly as the two tryout quarterbacks at rookie minicamp in Green Bay on Friday and Saturday.

An undrafted free agent out of Virginia in 2018, Benkert spent his first three NFL seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, mostly on the team’s practice squad.

The Packers now have four quarterbacks on the roster, although Aaron Rodgers’ status with the team remains up in the air. The team signed veteran Blake Bortles earlier this week, providing some experience to team with 2020 first-round pick Jordan Love.

The next stage of the offseason workout program kicks off later this month.

Benkert has never played in a regular-season game.

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Falcons waive QB Kurt Benkert

On Thursday afternoon, it was reported that the Atlanta Falcons had released safety Ricardo Allen and defensive end Allen Bailey.

On Thursday afternoon, it was reported that the Atlanta Falcons had released safety Ricardo Allen and defensive end Allen Bailey. The team confirmed Adam Schefter’s report shortly after, while adding that backup quarterback Kurt Benkert had been waived.

Benkert was an undrafted free agent out of Virginia that signed with the Falcons in 2018. While he never played in a regular season game, he looked to be progressing nicely in preseason action.

Atlanta had signed Benkert to a reserve/future contract back in January, but that was before Arthur Smith came on board as head coach. The decision to release both Allen and Bailey was expected to free up salary cap space.

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