The Green Bay Packers come into the 2024 season with a young group at linebacker, and a stable veteran presence like Anthony Barr could give the unit some much-needed depth.
If the Packers want to go after a free agent linebacker, there are a few names still available. Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine named a couple of veterans to fill a roster hole for the Packers at linebacker, including Barr.
“There are multiple veteran linebackers who could help stabilize the room for them moving forward,” Ballentine wrote. “Kwon Alexander could be a nice fit and Anthony Barr is still looking for a home. Neither would be long-term solutions but could afford [Edgerrin] Cooper a longer runway to playing time.”
There aren’t any splashy free agents this late into the offseason. However, an experienced veteran like Barr could still be a solid signing for 2024.
Anthony Barr’s Football Career
At 32 years old, Barr is nearing the end of his football career. It’s one Minnesota Vikings fans will remember fondly.
Before going pro, Barr was a star linebacker at UCLA. He finished his college career with back-to-back first-team All-Pac 12 honors, a consensus All-American selection, and the Lott Trophy in 2013.
Barr’s production, length, and athleticism helped him go ninth overall in the 2014 draft. It wasn’t long before he was a star for Minnesota, earning four straight Pro Bowl appearances from 2015 through 2018.
Packers fans will remember Barr best for injuring Aaron Rodgers during that Pro Bowl stretch. He was directly responsible for breaking Rodgers’ collarbone during a game in 2017, leading to some back and forth between the two players afterwards.
Unfortunately for Barr, he hasn’t been the same player over the last few seasons. Injuries have kept him off the field, and Pro Football Focus graded him out with an overall rating of less than 63.0 in every season from 2019 through 2022.
Barr hasn’t been able to replicate his Pro Bowl run over the last few seasons. He may be nearing the end of his NFL career, but could still serve as a veteran backup for a team with youth at the linebacker position like the Packers.
Green Bay’s Newest Linebackers
The Packers got even younger at inside linebacker this offseason. However, if the rookies pan out, then Green Bay won’t need to add a veteran presence like Barr to the position.
Edgerrin Cooper is hoping to play a big role in Jeff Hafley’s defense. A second-round pick out of Texas A&M, Cooper was a consensus All-American in 2023. His length and top-tier play speed allows him to fly all over the football field with reckless abandon.
Matt LaFleur is already praising Cooper during offseason workouts. The Packers head coach stated that the rookie was “locked in” heading into training camp.
Cooper is trending towards a starting role in 2024. But he’s not the only linebacker that the Packers took in this year’s draft. They also selected Ty’Ron Hopper out of Missouri in the third round. He’s another downhill and explosive linebacker that could work his way into a rotational role for Green Bay.
The Packers have invested heavily at linebacker over the last few seasons. They’re hopeful that those investments will pay off to the point that Brian Gutekunst doesn’t need to pursue a free agent like Barr.
