Green Bay Packers Player Profile: Andrew Quarless
By Dan Kasper
Green Bay Packers tight end Andrew Quarless said earlier this offseason that he believed he could be one of the best tight ends in the entire NFL. Aaron Rodgers even said that Quarless has been a guy that stood out during OTAs and minicamps as a player who has improved his game.
Now Quarless may have taken a big step back in what was supposed to be a big year for the tight end.
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Quarless was recently arrested for firing a gun in public in Miami Beach, Fla. It is not known if Quarless will be suspended, but it wouldn’t be a shocker if Quarless has to sit out some games as punishment.
Quarless set himself up to have a big year for the Packers this year. He proclaimed he could be one of the best tight ends in the league and had his MVP quarterback state that he looked impressive in practice. It potentially looked like the weakest link on the Packers offense may actually hold its ground this year and contribute more than it has in the past.
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The tight end group is the only question the Packers have to answer on offense. Whether its Quarless or Richard Rodgers, one of those guys has to start to step up and become the go-to tight end. Someone has to pull the weight for the tight ends group to start to contribute more to the offense.
Quarless was ready for that task and seemed to put in the extra work this offseason to become a viable option on the offense. Quarless is entering his final year on his current contract for the Packers, so if he wanted to prove he can contribute to the Packers offense, this year is the time.
Assuming Quarless will only miss a game or two, what must he do to become a target for Rodgers to look to during a game situation?
First, and most importantly, he has to get open. Quarless should be able to win most of his matchups on offense, especially when he will be on the field at times with Eddie Lacy, Jordy Nelson, and Randall Cobb. Those guys will require more attention than Quarless, so he should have some favorable matchups. He has to win his battles and get open for Rodgers to take notice.
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It would also help if Quarless can become a red-zone threat. The Packers need to improve their red-zone efficiency and having a good tight end will improve their red-zone stats. If Quarless can become a red-zone target for Rodgers, the Packers offense will have made strides to improve an area they struggled with last season.
Quarless, overall, has to be a more consistent player. He can’t afford to have one good game followed up by a couple of subpar games. That’s not to say he should be putting up 100-yard games every week, but his play just has to be more consistent week in and week out. If he proves he can be consistent, Rodgers will look for him more.
Quarless has to develop a chemistry with Rodgers as well in order for the quarterback to look for him more.
With Quarless now getting into trouble, even more pressure is on the young tight end to contribute a lot more this season. He needs to show he can mature and take his job seriously and put in the work to become a good tight end.
If Quarless does get on the field and is able to contribute at a high level, this Packers offense will be lethal. The Packers have needed Quarless to step up since Jermichael Finley suffered a career-ending injury and they’re still waiting for Quarless to produce. However, he just made it harder for himself to do so.