With just a few weeks until training camp gets underway, the Green Bay Packers don’t have any glaring holes on the roster. There will be competitions in camp for roles once the regular season rolls around, but overall this is a strong roster.
However, some areas aren’t as strong as others on the roster. In the opinion of ESPN’s Mike Clay, that position for the Packers is off-ball linebacker. Clay believes that is the biggest weakness for the team heading into the 2024 season.
“The offseason departure of De’Vondre Campbell leaves Green Bay with some uncertainty. Quay Walker has been a tackling machine through two seasons, though he’s received poor PFF grades due to shaky run defense and coverage ability. The larger concern is his running mates, as veterans Isaiah McDuffie and Eric Wilson will battle Day 2 rookies Edgerrin Cooper and Ty’Ron Hopper for work. There’s potential, but development is needed,” Clay wrote.
Just like the rest of the Packers roster, some young, inexperienced players will be tasked with playing a prominent role at off-ball linebacker. De’Vondre Campbell was designated as a post-June 1st cut to save some money against the salary cap.
By far the most seasoned veteran on the roster at the position, that title now falls upon Quay Walker. A first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Georgia, he has played the most defensive snaps of any player on the roster at the position; Isaiah McDuffie is the longest-tenured NFL player, entering Year 4.
In some cases, the lack of experience at the second level would be a cause for concern. But, the Packers have Pro Bowlers and All-Pro performers at every other level of the defense to help compensate.
Along the defensive front, the team has Kenny Clark, Preston Smith and Rashan Gary leading the way. In the secondary, the team’s newest safety, Xavier McKinney, and Jaire Alexander will be relied upon.
The talent is there for the Packers to have a strong tandem at linebacker. Walker and Edgerrin Cooper have all of the tools to be three-down contributors. Can they put it all together in 2024 and beyond? We will have to wait and see about that.
