Quarless feels 'game ready' despite being inactive

Andrew Quarless has yet to be activated from temporary injured reserve, but the Green Bay Packers tight end is ready.

Quarless, who has not played since Sept. 28, said his body is “game ready” after practicing the past two weeks. He was eligible to return from temporary injured reserve against the Chicago Bears on Nov. 26.

He’s waiting for a roster spot to open up.

“I’m definitely game ready,” Quarless said. “Definitely. Like I said last week, it’s just really about Ted Thompson (making a decision). It’s a lot of things that go into it. When I come up, somebody has to go. That’s a serious thing. So it’s just taking it day by day and do what I can.”

Quarless, a sixth-year tight end, admitted he needed to knock the rust off after missing nine weeks between practices. He tore the MCL in his knee against the Kansas City Chiefs in the third game of the season. It took a while to get into game shape, but he improved quickly.

“My biggest thing,” Quarless said, “I like to call it foot fire. Foot speed. When you come off of injury, the other leg tends to lag a little more. I think that’s the biggest thing, is just getting the speed. Because that’s one of my positives I do as a route-runner, is to really be sharp and quick. When you come off of injury, that leg tends to lag just a little slower. That’s the biggest thing I’ve been working on, is coming out of my breaks and my routes and just getting my quickness back.”

Quarless said his “foot fire” feels back to the level it needs to be for a game. Now, the only thing to do is wait. He can’t return to the field if a spot doesn’t open up on the 53-man roster.

Packers tight ends coach Jerry Fontenot said Quarless will be ready to go whenever he returns.

“I think hunger is a good thing,” Fontenot said. “I never would want to squash that flame because I think it generates a lot more success. At least you’ve got the right mentality going in. He knows that he’s going to be ready.”

rwood@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @ByRyanWood