Jermichael Finley: 5 Green Bay Packers Who Need To Step Up in Finley's Stead
The news on Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley went from bad to worse this week.
After injuring his knee in a loss to the Washington Redskins last week, Finley was originally expected to be out for three-to-four weeks.
Then doctors discovered they could let Finley's knee heal on its own, without surgery, which would help his knee in the long run. But for that long-term health, Finley must sacrifice the rest of this season.
While the Packers certainly made the right call by erring on the side of caution with their young star, they lose a lot of offensive production.
So, since any true Green Bay fan knows that general manager Ted Thompson won't bring in a free agent to help out, here are five players already on the roster that must step up to fill Finley's shoes.
5. Aaron Rodgers, QB
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It's hard to tell a Pro Bowler that he needs to step up his production, but that's exactly what Aaron Rodgers needs to do for the rest of this season.
He'll need to spread the ball around more to Donald Driver, Greg Jennings and his other receivers. He'll need to get the ball to the running backs.
Most importantly, he might have to do a little more running of his own from here on out. He's one of the best quarterbacks in the league when it comes to escaping pressure and making something out of nothing.
4. Mike McCarthy, Head Coach
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Without Finley in the lineup, Mike McCarthy will have to get more creative with his play-calling. It's not too hard to run a passing offense when you have a 6'5", 247-pound tight end running all over the field.
In Washington last weekend, the offense immediately stalled when Finley and Donald Lee were injured. While it's certainly a big loss to the offense, it can't be an excuse for offensive ineptitude.
McCarthy needs to find a way to inject some life into this post-Finley offense. The rest of the unit is too talented not to put up points in bunches.
3. James Jones, WR
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James Jones is a great weapon as the number three wide receiver on the Packers' depth chart. He could be a strong number two receiver on a lot of NFL teams.
He's a physical possession receiver who creates matchup problems for nickel corners, and the Packers need him to emerge as a bigger target for Aaron Rodgers.
If Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, James Jones and Jordy Nelson can all step up their games, who needs a tight end?
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2. Brandon Jackson, RB
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What's the best way to cover for the loss of a star in the passing game? By improving the running game, of course.
Brandon Jackson has been disappointing in his role as starting running back since the injury to Ryan Grant. Take out a 71-yard gallop last week, and Jackson's 115-yard day becomes a 44-yard day.
Nine carries for 44 yards looks a lot worse than 10 carries for 115 yards, but an average of almost five yards per carry is acceptable.
If Jackson proves he can keep running the way he ran in Washington, coach Mike McCarthy will give him more opportunities to improve.
1. Andrew Quarless, TE
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Not only did the Packers lose Jermichael Finley last week, they also lost backup tight end Donald Lee to a shoulder sprain.
That leaves Andrew Quarless as the new starting tight end.
The rookie out of Penn State has all the physical tools to be a Finley-esque tight end. He is tall, fast, strong, and creates a matchup problem for anyone who tries to cover him.
He'll need to do his best Finley impression for the rest of this year and be the big target Aaron Rodgers needs down in the red zone.
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