With the NFL free agency officially starting on Wednesday (but the negotiating window opening on Monday), here is a look at the Green Bay Packers’ linebacker situation.
Packers Level of Need
Low to high, depending on the fate of one specific free agent.
Packers Outlook
The Packers taking a flier on a veteran linebacker seems like an annual occurrence. There was Antonio Morrison in 2018. BJ Goodson in 2019. Christian Kirksey in 2020. None of those players panned out.
When general manager Brian Gutekunst signed De’Vondre Campbell to a bargain-bin contract in June, nobody could have known how Campbell would change the defense. He turned in the Packers’ first All-Pro season by an off-the-ball linebacker since the legendary Ray Nitschke in 1966. Without Campbell, the way-too-early starting tandem might be Krys Barnes and Ty Summers.
Strength of Free Agent Talent Pool
9, on a 1-to-10 scale. This was one of the strongest groups in free agency even before the Seahawks released Bobby Wagner and the Raiders released Cory Littleton. There are a lot of experienced starters on the market.
Best Available Linebackers in Free Agency
Bobby Wagner, Seahawks (31): Wagner was released last week after 10 Hall of Fame-worthy seasons in the middle of the Seahawks’ defense. He was a first-team All-Pro for five consecutive seasons – including Defensive Player of the Year in 2017 – before being merely a second-team All-Pro last year. He led the NFL in tackles in 2016 and 2019 and solo tackles in 2017. In 2021, he started 16 games and tallied a resounding 170 tackles.
De’Vondre Campbell, Packers (28): Campbell finished seventh in the NFL with 145 tackles. He added six tackles for losses, six quarterback hits, five passes defended, two forced fumbles and two interceptions. Before sitting out the finale, I have led the NFL with 101 tackles alone. Of the 34 players with at least 107 tackles, Campbell and Washington’s Cole Holcomb were the only players with at least one sack, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. His missed-tackle rate of 3.0 percent ranked second among NFL starters.
Wrote Conor Orr in SI.com’s huge free-agent preview: “Campbell controlled games from the defensive side of the ball this season, almost like a basketball savant can completely alter the course of a game against less-heady talent. Campbell was in on almost every play, he was incredibly deft when dodging big blockers and could dictate the offensive game plan by jamming himself into the A-gap and deciding whether to storm the backfield. Without hyperbole, it’s safe to call him one of the best free agent values of the last decade as a member of the Packers last year. His next team (or current one) will have to pay handsomely for the privilege now.”
Foyesade Oluokun, Falcons (26): A sixth-round pick in 2018, Oluokun started 10 games his first two seasons before emerging as a real star. In 2020, I have tallied 117 tackles and four forced fumbles. In 2021, he has led the NFL with 192 tackles and added two sacks, three interceptions and six passes defensed. Coming out of Yale, they ran his 40 in 4.48 seconds. At 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, he could hardly look more different than the rangy Campbell.
Alexander Johnson, Broncos (30): Johnson was a part of the 2015 draft class but went undrafted after being indicted for sexual assault. He was acquired in July 2018 and signed as an undrafted rookie with the Broncos a couple weeks later. Johnson started 12 games in 2019 and all 16 games in 2020 but missed most of last season with a torn pectoral. He had 124 tackles in 2020. Wrote Gary Gramling in SI’s free-agent preview: “Johnson has emerged as an explosive, sure-tackling linebacker at a time when the league has few of them. There are limitations in coverage, though a team that asks him to blitz more often might have itself one of the NFL’s better three-down ‘backers.”
Leighton Vander Esch, Cowboys (26): A first-round pick in 2018, Vander Esch piled up 140 tackles, two interceptions and seven passes defensed during an All-Pro rookie season. Injuries limited him to nine games in 2019 and 10 games in 2020. Healthy again, he had only 77 tackles last season. It will be interesting to see if he gets a long-term contract or settles on a one-year, prove-it deal in hopes of resurrecting his career from him like Campbell.
Anthony Barr, Vikings (29): Barr, who will turn 30 next week, was voted to four consecutive Pro Bowls from 2015 through 2018. However, he missed 14 games in 2020 and six games in 2021. He tallied 72 tackles, 2.5 sacks, a career-high three interceptions and five passes defensed last season. He remains a solid, do-it-all linebacker but there’s no reason to believe he’s going to return to Pro Bowl form.
Cory Littleton, Raiders (28): You’ve got to think if the Packers lose Campbell that Littleton will be Plan B. The Packers wanted him in free agency a couple years ago but he was signed by the Raiders. Vegas gave up on him after two so-so-seasons. In 2021, I have played in 17 games (13 starts) and had 98 tackles (11 misses) and four passes defended. His best season of him came in 2019 with the Rams, when he posted 134 tackles (one miss), 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, two interceptions and nine passes defended. His position coach of him? Joe Barry.
Kyzir White, Chargers (25): White, who will turn 26 in a couple weeks, played safety at West Virginia but moved to linebacker with the Chargers. In 2021, he started all 17 games and finished with 144 tackles, seven tackles for losses, two forced fumbles, two interceptions and 10 passes defended. At 216 pounds, he obviously needs help from the guys up front to keep blockers off him. When he gets it, he’s incredibly good at getting the ball and making the play (missed-tackle rate of 5.3 percent ranked ninth).
Anthony Walker, Browns (26): A fifth-round pick in 2017, he’s started the past four seasons. Even while missing four games due to injury, he recorded 113 tackles in 2021 – his third season topping 100 stops. He has three career interceptions, highlighting his excellent coverage skills from him. Critically, he’s improved his tackling after missing ball-carriers left and right in 2019.
Jayon Brown, Titans (27): A fifth-round pick in 2017, Brown has been productive when healthy. After posting 105 tackles in 14 games in 2019, Brown was limited to 10 games apiece in 2020 and 2021. He had zero sacks, tackles for losses, quarterback hits or forced fumbles last year. He does have one interceptor each of the past four years.
Ja’Whaun Bentley, Patriots (25): A fifth-round pick in 2018, Bentley started 29 games the past two seasons. In 2021, he started all 16 of his appearances and set career highs with 109 tackles, five tackles for losses and three forced fumbles. He was productive as a frequent blitzer, which was one way to keep him out of coverage, where he does not excel.
Josey Jewell, Broncos (27): A fourth-round pick in 2018, Jewell emerged with 113 tackles, five tackles for losses and four passes defended as a 16-game starter in 2020. However, he suffered a torn pectoral in Week 2 of last season. When healthy, he is a solid all-around linebacker who can play every snap.
Dont’a Hightower, Patriots (32): A first-round pick a decade ago, Hightower earned Pro Bowl honors in 2016 and 2019 and was a COVID opt-out in 2020. In 2021, he started 15 games and provided little impact beyond his 64 tackles. He went from eight tackles for losses in 2019 to just one in 2021. He also missed 14.0 percent of his tackle attempts, one of the worst rates in the NFL.
KJ Wright, Raiders (32): When healthy, Wright posted five consecutive 100-tackles seasons for Seattle. In 2021, I have joined the Raiders and managed only 51 tackles in 17 games (eight starts). He had zero sacks, passes defensed or turnover plays. At this point, he’s perhaps no longer the three-down linebacker he was for most of his career.
Kenny Young, Broncos (27): A fourth-round pick by Baltimore in 2018, Young was a full-time starter for the first time in 2021. Playing for the Rams and Broncos, he collected 75 tackles, including six for losses, and forced two fumbles. His missed-tackle rate of 5.0 percent ranked fifth among starting linebackers.
Rashaan Evans, Titans (26): A first-round pick in 2018, Evans started all 16 games in 2019 and 2020 and 11 games in 2021, when he missed time with an ankle injury. His tackle numbers have sunk from 111 in 2019 to 96 in 2020 to just 57 last season, though he did record two interceptions and a forced fumble. Obviously, Packers coach Matt LaFleur has some history with Evans. And, at this point in a player’s career, draft grades do have some power.
Josh Bynes, Ravens (32): Back for Round 3 with Baltimore, Bynes tallied 76 tackles, two sacks and four passes defensed in 14 games. He had 99 tackles in 16 starts for Cincinnati in 2020. Teams needing a linebacker to stop the run with want Bynes on a short-term deal.
www.si.com
George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism