Packers Using Their Franchise Tag On Matt Flynn?

Green Bay Packers QB Matt Flynn has played his way into the national spotlight after throwing for 480 yards and 6 touchdown in relief of Aaron Rodgers last weekend. Flynn will be a free agent at the end of the season and his performance on Sunday will likely net him a pretty solid contract. Since the Packers have an MVP candidate currently manning their quarterback position, Flynn future lies else where but the team has some options other than just allowing him to leave.

There has been a lot of talk about the team possibly using their franchise tag on Flynn and dealing him draft picks much the same way the Patriots did with Matt Cassel some years ago. The problem with this idea is that the Packers have free agents of their own with Jermichael Finley and Scott Wells set to hit the open market.

Andrew Brandt of National Football Post mentions that the Packers have had ongoing negotiations with TE Jermichael Finley about a possible new deal.

If they’re able to reach an agreement with Finley then they’ll have their franchise tag freed up which could led them to consider tagging Flynn. The problem with this scenario is that the Packers would be on the hook for $14.5 million and Flynn would have more leverage to dictate where he goes as the team couldn’t afford to pay a backup quarterback that salary especially when Rodgers is only making $8 million. By the way that’s a ridiculously low number for such a great player.

A more logic idea comes from Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel who mentions that Green Bay could workout a sign and trade with Flynn. First find a trade partner and then reach a deal that works for both Flynn and the new team. Silverstein mentions that an agent source mentioned that the Packers could net a first-round pick in return for Flynn.

The Kevin Kolb trade could have an impact on this situation considering that it hasn’t worked out well for Arizona to this point. Either way the Packers have some options to consider and if their able to flip Matt Flynn, who was taken in the seventh-round, for a first-round pick, that would be just another example of great Ted Thompson and his staff have done in the draft.