They’ve been somewhat of an afterthought even though veteran Andrew Quarless (pictured) has started to play more of the role Jermichael Finley did the past three years, lining up more outside as a receiver than in-line as a tight end. Credit: Rick Wood

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Green Bay — Just three years ago, the Green Bay Packers were carrying five tight ends on their roster, made extensive use of starter Jermichael Finley and ranked fourth in the NFL in total offense after eight games.

And, oh yeah, they were 8-0.

There's more to the undefeated story than just Finley's 30 catches for 378 yards and five touchdowns at mid-season, but that contribution marked the height of tight-end influence in coach Mike McCarthy's offense and stands as a measuring stick for past and present teams.

Over the next two seasons, Finley was nearly as productive at the midway point with 28 catches for 265 yards and a touchdown in 2012 and 25 catches for 300 yards and three touchdowns last year.

Had Finley's season not been cut short six games into the '13 season because of a career-threatening neck injury he might have surpassed the 2011 numbers. Regardless of what would have happened his numbers alone each of the three seasons are better than what the position has produced in 2014.

Heading into Week 9, the 5-3 Packers ranked 19th in total yards and sixth in scoring. They have relied heavily on the receiving combination of Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb to pace their 12th-ranked passing game.

The two have accounted for 52% of the team's completions, 62% of its passing yards and 79% of its passing touchdowns.

The tight ends?

They've been somewhat of an afterthought even though veteran Andrew Quarless has started to play more of the role Finley did the past three years, lining up more outside as a receiver than in-line as a tight end.

Quarless, rookie Richard Rodgers and Brandon Bostick have combined for 23 receptions for 248 yards and two touchdowns. They have been targeted 35 times.

By comparison, the fewest times Finley was targeted during the first half of any of the last three seasons were 34 in '13 and the fewest receptions he had were 25 in that same season. All of that was done in six games.

As the Packers come out of the bye week, they appear to be leaning more on Quarless to provide the same kind of receiving threat Finley gave them. They have all but given up on Bostick, the most athletic of their tight ends, and can only expect so much out of the rookie.

Not having the usual production could be the reason they haven't been as efficient as they have wanted to be.

"He's played well," offensive coordinator Tom Clements said of Quarless. "He was playing faster, getting more yards after the catch. He (has been) blocking better. Hopefully, he'll continue to improve and get better as the year goes along."

The Packers have gained more confidence in Quarless as a receiver, judging by the increase in the number of times he has lined up wide or in the slot, although tight ends coach Jerry Fontenot said it often comes down to which tight end is in the game when the play calls for a split receiver.

But earlier in the year, Rodgers was getting most of those snaps, Since the Miami game, Quarless has gotten far more opportunities. Against Seattle, Quarless was used as a receiver 11 times, against the New York Jets nine, against Detroit seven, against Chicago nine and against Minnesota seven.

Then came the Miami game. Quarless was used outside or in the slot 27 times, including the Packers' final offensive play, when he caught a winning 4-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers. He continued to see more time there against Carolina and New Orleans.

"I love it, I really love it," Quarless said of being a receiver. "Wherever they line me up, my goal is to make an impact. They split me out, I'm in the backfield, in-line, in the slot, wherever they put me. That's why I like this position."

When the Packers drafted Quarless in the fifth round in 2010, they were hoping he would develop into a hybrid tight end capable of giving the offense a bookend to Finley. Quarless had his moments filling in for the injured Finley his rookie season but tore up his knee against the New York Giants the following year and missed all of 2012.

Quarless, who has 15 catches for 135 yards and two touchdowns this year, found a nice chemistry with Matt Flynn when Aaron Rodgers was out last year and finished with 32 catches for 312 yards and two touchdowns. But he missed all of the off-season workouts with an undisclosed injury and never had an opportunity to re-establish chemistry with Rodgers in the spring.

At some point during camp, however, his knee finally started feeling whole again and whatever other injuries he had were not affecting him.

"There was a point in training camp, I remember Andrew taking a shot in the leg," Fontenot said. "I think it might have been in a preseason game. I remember him saying something. It struck him that he took a shot on the leg and everything is status quo. Nothing got injured and we're good.

"I think that may have been an epiphany for him. I think he just dropped any inhibitions after that. Seemed to me like he started playing with a lot more confidence."

To be a better-balanced offense, the Packers are going to need Quarless or Richard Rodgers or both to take pressure off the receivers, particularly when teams pay extra attention to Nelson the way New Orleans and Detroit did in victories over the Packers.

Quarless had a chance to make a big play against the Saints but failed to shield his defender on a slant route in the end zone and the pass was tipped and intercepted, completely shifting the momentum in a tie game early in the third quarter. Quarless had a matchup advantage and the coverage he was looking for but couldn't finish the way he did against Miami.

"Aaron just saw him out there," Clements said. "He thought he could get a quick slant to him and he got inside him. We just didn't get the play done."

Richard Rodgers caught four passes for 58 yards and impressed enough that he may see more opportunities as a receiver. But Quarless is quicker, more experienced and built more like Finley than Rodgers.

"I think his routes from the outside have improved," Fontenot said of Quarless. "I think we still have a ways to go in terms of detailing the top of his routes and things like that. But overall, Andrew knows how to get open and he has a good feel for timing and things like that with a quarterback.

"Probably just the fact he is going to have a little more production out there based on his experience (is going to help)."

Quarless said he would continue to do what is asked and try to develop better chemistry with and gain more confidence from Aaron Rodgers.

"I'm excited just to be moving around," Quarless said. "It's fun. I think (the chemistry is improving) more and more with work in practice. Everything is timing."