Packers’ Rodgers improving from injured collarbone

Associated Press

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Injured Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said Tuesday he never gives up hope on playing, though he is not sure exactly when he will be back on the field.

Rodgers said on his radio show on 540-AM ESPN that he’s doing everything he can to return from the fractured left collarbone suffered a week earlier in a 27-20 loss to the Bears. He said he’s giving the bone time to heal, and that Tuesday was the best he had felt since getting hurt.

General manager Ted Thompson replenished depth Tuesday in announcing the signing of Rodgers’ former backup Matt Flynn, who has been released this year by the Raiders and Bills.

With Rodgers hurt, Flynn will back up one-time practice squad player Scott Tolzien, who replaced Seneca Wallace in the 27-13 loss Sunday to the Eagles.

Given the circumstances, Tolzien played well after Wallace left with a groin injury after the first series. Coach Mike McCarthy was so impressed that he’s already named Tolzien the starter for Sunday’s game against the Giants.

Wallace was placed on injured reserve Tuesday to make room for Flynn, the Packers’ seventh-round draft pick in 2008 who spent four years in Green Bay.

The ultimate goal is to get back to the 2011 NFL MVP. Rodgers on Tuesday pointed to “small victories” in his recovery, like sleeping through an entire night, and putting socks on without being in extreme pain.

“I haven’t given up hope on playing any week. It depends on how I heal,” Rodgers said on his radio show. “Obviously this week is probably not going to happen. Not going to happen.”

Pressed again, Rodgers said “probably not going to happen.”

McCarthy said Monday he thought Rodgers might be a couple weeks away, though he didn’t have a specific date.