GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Maybe the Green Bay Packers' next developmental quarterback won't come in the draft.
Seemingly poised to pick a quarterback this year, the Packers on Wednesday signed former University of Wisconsin-Whitewater standout Matt Blanchard, his agent, Paul Sheehy, said.
Sheehy said Blanchard worked out for the Packers last week and was offered a contract on Wednesday.
"He's just thrilled," Sheehy said. "Being a Wisconsin kid who played at Whitewater, he couldn't be happier."
Blanchard becomes the third quarterback on the Packers' roster, joining Aaron Rodgers and Scott Tolzien. The Packers have not re-signed last year’s No. 2 quarterback, Matt Flynn.
The 6-foot-3, 223-pound Blanchard spent last season on the Carolina Panthers' injured reserve list after he sustained a concussion during a preseason game against the New England Patriots Aug. 22. Previously, he was on the Panthers' practice squad in 2013. He broke into the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Chicago Bears in 2012 and spent part of his rookie season on their practice squad.
Packers coach Mike McCarthy attended Blanchard's workout last week and must have liked what he saw. Earlier this offseason, McCarthy said he would like to add a couple of quarterbacks to the mix this offseason.
The Packers have been on the look out for a developmental third quarterback. They scheduled a visit with one of the top quarterbacks in the draft, Baylor's Bryce Petty, but appear unlikely to draft a quarterback as high as Petty is likely to be taken. The Packers have drafted only one quarterback (B.J. Coleman in the seventh round of the 2012 draft) in the last six years.
In college, Blanchard went 25-0 as a starter and led UW-Whitewater to consecutive Division III national championships. In those two seasons, he completed 70.4 percent of his passes with 44 touchdowns and five interceptions.
