Published: November 19, 2009 09:26 pm      

BILLS: Brohm signed off Packers' practice squad

ORCHARD PARK — Quarterback Brian Brohm rejected an offer to stay in Green Bay in order to pursue a fresh start in Buffalo with a team that’s suddenly losing confidence in Trent Edwards.

The Bills plucked Brohm off the Packers’ practice squad on Thursday, signing the 2008 second-round draft pick to a two-year contract. In agreeing to play for the Bills, Brohm said he turned down a last-minute bid by the Packers to keep him.

“The last 24 hours have been good to me. I went from being on the practice squad to having pretty much two offers,” he said after his first practice with the Bills. “I just wanted a fresh start, a new start, and I think Buffalo gives me that.”

Green Bay signed rookie Mike Reilly to its practice squad to replace Brohm.

The timing of Brohm’s signing comes during a week in which the Bills (3-6) made wholesale changes as they prepare to play at Jacksonville on Sunday.

Coach Dick Jauron was fired on Tuesday and replaced by defensive coordinator Perry Fewell, who will finish the season as interim head coach. Fewell’s first major decision was to bench Edwards for backup Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Edwards, in his second full year as starter, was 1-5 in games he played a majority of the snaps this season. There’s growing indication the third-year player is running out of chances to prove himself.

Fewell said he believes Fitzpatrick provides the Bills the best opportunity to win this week.

Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt criticized Edwards for being too hesitant and making poor decisions.

“A little bit of it is our fault for asking him to do some of the things we have,” Van Pelt said. “But the bottom line is we’ve got to find ways to make plays. Sometimes it’s a fine line between forcing the football in there and making the smart decision. And with our guys right now, we felt like we needed to get some of those balls thrown that weren’t.”

Edwards hasn’t taken his demotion well. He twice walked away from reporters when they approached him in the locker room Thursday.

Edwards will serve as the backup, with Brohm taking over the No. 3 spot, replacing Gibran Hamdan, who was cut Thursday.

Brohm’s opportunity to make what he called “a new first impression,” comes after he became an afterthought in Green Bay. The third quarterback selected in the 2008 draft, Brohm failed to deliver on the impressive numbers he put up during a four-year career at Louisville, where he finished 24-9 and set the Big East Conference record with 9,956 career yards passing.

Inactive as the Packers third quarterback for all 16 games as a rookie, Brohm landed on the team’s practice squad this season after being beaten out for the No. 2 spot by seventh-round draft pick Matt Flynn.

Brohm acknowledged his confidence dropped with his struggles in Green Bay, but noted he’s learned from the experience.

“I felt like I’ve grown as a player,” he said. “And hopefully, I can come out here and just show the coaches and scouts here that I have gotten better, and show them what I can do. And hopefully, they like it.”

Brohm is reunited with former Louisville teammate Eric Wood, a rookie first-round pick who is the starting right guard.

“It didn’t work out the way he wanted to in Green Bay, certainly, and that’s not how I expected it to happen for him,” Wood said. “Basically, everything’s out the window that happened before. He’s only in his second year, so he’s got a lot of potential still.”

NOTES: SS Donte Whitner practiced for a second straight day and said he’s ready to return after missing three games with a sprained ankle. ... RT Jonathan Scott returned to practice after being excused by the team following a death in his family. Fewell said Scott could start this weekend. ... DT Marcus Stroud (knee) missed his second straight practice and his status is uncertain for Sunday’s game.