The inside linebacker position for the Green Bay Packers has been a sore subject for many fans. It is a position that has lacked a true playmaker in recent times. Arguably, the last inside linebacker the Packers have had who made plays was Desmond Bishop. His last season with the Packers was all the way back in 2012. Since then, they have tried to fill the position with overachievers who either lack size or speed. It appears the Packers are going to continue with that strategy, hoping someone can develop into a playmaker. Once again, the Green Bay Packers inside linebackers will enter a season with more questions than answers.
Green Bay Packers Still in Search of a Standout at Inside Linebacker
New defensive coordinator Joe Barry brings a background in coaching inside linebackers. Earned or not, Barry has been given the credit of being a “guru” of coaching the position. His ability to coach inside linebackers will be put to the test in 2021.
The 2021 Packers inside linebackers group doesn’t stand out on paper. The expected starters consist of a former undrafted free agent and a late free-agent signing. The expected backups will consist of an underachieving former draft pick and a late-round draft pick that was once a high school quarterback.
Barry and inside linebackers coach Kirk Olivadotti will have their work cut out for them. Once again, it appears the Packers inside linebackers group will lack a playmaker in the middle.
From Undrafted Free Agent to Starter
Krys Barnes made the most of his opportunities in 2020. Without a true preseason in 2020, Barnes, an undrafted 2020 free agent, faced many odds. There wasn’t a guarantee that he would even make the roster.
But he beat the odds. Not only did he make the roster, but he was one of the starting Packers inside linebackers in week one of 2020. The former UCLA standout even wore the green dot, which is given to the player making the on-the-field signals, at times in 2020.
Barnes played in 13 games, starting 10 of them. In that span, he registered 49 solo tackles, had five tackles for loss, forced one fumble, and registered one sack. If the Packers had any expectations of Barnes, he blew those expectations away.
Barnes is expected to be one of the starters again in 2021. The Packers seem very high on Barnes entering his second season. But those expectations might be a little overblown.
While Barnes was a nice story in 2020, he did have some struggles. He struggled to stay healthy, missing time because of an array of injuries. There is a reason that Barnes went undrafted. He is a very smart player, but he isn’t the greatest athlete. Barnes is steady, but it is doubtful that he is going to make a lot of game-changing plays.
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Packers Fans Should be Excited about the Addition of Campbell
General manager Brian Gutekunst made a signing right before this year’s training camp that should help the Packers inside linebackers group. The addition of De’Vondre Campbell gives the Packers inside linebackers a player who is long, athletic, and is always available.
Campbell, who will be entering his sixth season in the NFL, has played for the Atlanta Falcons and most recently the Arizona Cardinals. During that time, he has started 70 games, registering 462 combined tackles, forcing six fumbles, and registering seven and a half sacks.
Along with his ability to stay healthy, Campbell brings a different build to the Packers inside linebackers group. At 6’4″ Campbell is the tallest of the Packers inside linebackers. His long arms are a major asset when it comes to covering tight ends. In recent years, the Packers have struggled to defend opposing tight ends. Campbell has shown in his career that not only can he do that, but he can also do it well.
This group will face a lot of scrutinies. But one bright spot might be the addition of Campbell. The Packers have missed on quite a few free-agent inside linebackers. But Campbell feels like he might be different. He could be the difference in helping turn around the Packers defense.
Chances Running Out for Burks
Expected to backup Barnes and Campbell are two former draft picks of the Packers. Oren Burks, a former 2018 third-round draft pick, and Ty Summers, a former seventh-round draft pick, will be battling to see who will be the top backup. Burks and Summers have one big thing in common. They have both failed to show they are capable of being depended on to step in when needed.
Out of the two, Burks has been the bigger disappointment. When Gutekunst selected him in 2018, he was expected to develop into an inside linebacker who was capable of defending tight ends. However, that hasn’t been the case. He has struggled to stay healthy and when he has been healthy, he has been limited to just special teams. Things got so bad for him in 2020, he was shifted to outside linebacker. That experiment didn’t last long, he rejoined the Packers inside linebackers group late in 2020.
Reports out of this year’s training camp have been positive for Burks. He also had a strong preseason game against the Houston Texans. He will need to continue that play to earn a spot on the Packers 2021 roster.
Summers Still Learning the Position
Being a seventh-round pick, expectations have been lower for Summers. Still, because of injuries and the poor depth at inside linebacker, Summers has been forced into action. His time on defense hasn’t been overly impressive. He is a good athlete but lacks the instincts required by an NFL inside linebacker. However, Summers is still learning the position, he was once a high school quarterback, so he could develop. But time is running out on him.
A lot of writers and “experts” have pointed to Burks and Summers’ value on special teams. However, those skills are vastly overrated. Both players have been a part of some terrible special teams play, making you question how valuable they truly are.
Another Blemish on Gutekunst’s Draft Record
Brian Gutekunst has a pretty checkered record when it comes to drafting. Yes, he selected Jaire Alexander and Elgton Jenkins, both extremely valuable Packers. However, he has had more misses than hits since taking over as general manager. You can add Kamal Martin to that list of misses.
Martin, a fifth-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft, was cut this week. It came as surprise to many since he started in six games last season and was only entering his second NFL season. Martin showed good athletic ability in 2020 and wasn’t afraid to make a big hit. But his history of injuries in college followed him into the NFL. Reports also stated that he had a hard time picking up Barry’s defense in this year’s training camp.
Gutekunst has said that the backbone of the Packers roster is built through the draft. That statement doesn’t bold well for what the Packers have done through the draft though. Martin might not have turned out to be a contributor on defense for the long. Still, you have to question why the Packers gave up on Martin so fast. Barry has been given a lot of credit for developing young inside linebackers. You would think that he would need more than half a training camp with Martin to decide if he can play or not.
No matter the reason, the departure of Martin doesn’t put Gutekunst in a good light. With Josh Jackson recently being traded and now Martin being cut, you have to wonder how good Gutekunst actually is in selecting players to bolster the Packers roster.
Projected Packers Inside Linebacker Group to Start 2021
Barnes, Campbell, Burks, and Summers are on the active roster. 2021 sixth-round pick Isaiah McDuffie and De’Jon Harris signed to the practice squad.
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