The Green Bay Packers are rapidly heading to the top of the list in players being arrested this offseason. With the news that tight end Andrew Quarless was arrested in Miami for firing a gun in the air the Packers now have three players arrested since the 2014 season ended. Not what would you expect from the Packers who have been pretty good at avoiding offseason distractions under the Ted Thompson-Mike McCarthy era.
This year we already have Letroy Guion being arrested in Florida with a pound of weed, a gun, and 190-grand in cash. Because of the arrest nobody else in the league made a serious offer for the free agent and the Packers signed him on March 31. While it wasn’t announced with the rest of the NFL’s suspension announcements last Thursday, it is expected he will miss at least one game.
One game is what his defensive line mate Datone Jones will serve for being busted with weed a day after the Packers lost to the Seahawks last January. So a trip to a state where pot is legal and the next day you get busted in Wisconsin? Interesting. Jones might be the next Thompson first round bust. One thing’s sure, he is incredibly stupid.
Which brings me back to Quarless. Here is a guy who I thought had a good head on his shoulders. He battled back from missing a whole year due to injury and then last year took over the starting job from Richard Rodgers almost immediately after the season started. In fact, I thought is was a joke that Rodgers started ahead of him. He is a great guy with the local media, always on the local TV and radio shows and came off as sincere. Fooled again.
I mean, why is he carrying a gun? I know it’s Miami, but still. The Packers have to be more than a little concerned about this recent run of bad publicity. A statement might have to be made and if it is not one of these guys it could very well be the next guy that screws up.
So much for the offseason positivity that was permeating OTAs and mini-camp. The Packers could have three players suspended for opening day, two at one position. And there are still 25 days to the opening of training camp.
Fortunately, the Packers play the Bears opening week, who they can beat with their B team, but it’s certainly fodder for the Packers’ haters out there. The Packers’ Super Bowl hopes aren’t in jeopardy, but it’s a situation that needs to be addressed. It’s not as bad as the Patriots repeatedly cheating, but it is a black eye none the less.