Bucs sign former Packers QB Joe Callahan

Former Green Bay Packers quarterback Joe Callahan is back in the NFL. According to Greg Auman of the Athletic, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed Callahan to a reserve/futures contract. Callahan was not on an NFL roster during the regular season after being waived by the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 1. 

Callahan spent most of the 2016 and 2017 seasons with the Packers. He originally signed with the team as an undrafted free agent from Wesley College in 2016 and had a strong preseason, throwing for 499 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. He earned a spot on the active roster but was cut by the team in October. Callahan then signed with the New Orleans Saints the next day only to be waived by the team a week later. He then joined the Cleveland Browns but was then released by the team in late November.

The Packers signed Callahan in early December to be part of the practice squad and was promoted to the active roster on Dec. 17. For the 2017 season, Callahan started the year off on the practice squad. However, he was promoted to the active roster after the Week Six game vs. the Minnesota Vikings when Aaron Rodgers broke his collarbone. Callahan was named the backup QB for Brett Hundley, but he did not see any action until the final game of the season vs. the Detroit Lions, completing five of his seven passes for 11 yards. The Packers re-signed Callahan last March only to be released the following month. 

After Callahan was waived by the Packers, he signed a two-year contract with the Eagles. In the preseason, Callahan completed 28 of his 47 attempts for 262 yards, one touchdown and one interception. The Eagles decided to let Callahan go once the preseason was over as they went with Carson Wentz, Nick Foles and Nate Sudfled as their quarterbacks. 

When Callahan was released by the Packers the team already had traded for DeShone Kizer and they signed Tim Boyle. Along with those two and Brett Hundley still being on the roster, there wasn’t any room for the Wesley College alum.

As the offseason went on for the Packers, Kizer and Hundley battled for the backup QB spot with Kizer eventually winning the job. Hundley was traded to the Seattle Seahawks before the preseason ended and the Packers also kept Boyle on the roster as the No. 3 QB. Boyle saw no action during the regular season, but Kizer played in three games because of Aaron Rodgers dealing with injuries.

Kizer saw the most action in the season finale against the Detroit Lions as Rodgers suffered a concussion. In the 31-0 loss to the Lions, Kizer completed 16 of his 35 passes for 132 yards with zero touchdowns and one interception. He finished the season with a 47.6 completion percentage and throwing for 187 yards, zero touchdowns and two interceptions.