Last chance: Packers with expiring contracts in 2020
By Brady Busha
Blake Martinez
Speaking of fourth-round picks, the Packers spent one in 2016 on an inside linebacker that was considered a tackling machine with little to offer in the pass-rushing department.
Fast-forward three years, and Blake Martinez is third-best on the Packers with five sacks, and second-best in the NFL with 144 total tackles on the season, good for the Packers’ single-season franchise record in tackles.
While the analysis can be considered half-right, it still doesn’t speak to Martinez’s role in the defense, which forced him to grow up quickly and become what he is now – one of the league’s premier run-stopping linebackers. His ability to plug holes and cut off running lanes has made Martinez a centerpiece of the Packers’ defense.
Coupling his production with a mostly clean bill of health bodes well for Martinez’s chances to renew his contract at a higher salary, especially if the Packers opt to not re-sign his fellow ILB Jake Ryan this offseason.
How he can earn an extension
Martinez somehow has silently been a face of the franchise without being noticed. His work in the community and on the football field makes Martinez a consummate professional.
It’s hard to imagine a scenario in which Blake Martinez doesn’t continue his positive trend, having started all 16 games in the past two seasons for Green Bay and finishing top-three in tackles both times. If Martinez shows up and continues to stuff the run as he has, the Packers front office will reward him handsomely.
Kyler Fackrell
Another member of the LB corps, Kyler Fackrell had an explosive year that few saw coming. A 10.5-sack performance, good for best on the team and tied with Calais Campbell, Fletcher Cox, and DeMarcus Lawrence.
A third-round pick out of Utah State in 2016, Fackrell has been a face in the crowd, a special teams player, and now has found his role as a pass-rusher. However, many criticisms still remain on Fackrell from fans due to six of his 10.5 sacks coming in two games this season, or that some came at times that were deemed “irrelevant.”
While the point on stat-padding in single games may be valid, it still speaks volumes that Fackrell maintains an aggressive pass rush throughout each game. Regardless of the timing of his sacks or his opponent, Fackrell is giving it all he’s got.
The most impressive sack on his resume is against the NFC-champion Los Angeles Rams and two-time All-Pro LT Andrew Whitworth. Fackrell has a long way to go in order to be considered an elite pass-rusher in any conversation, but a 10-plus sack season is a great way to start.
How he can earn an extension
Continuing to develop his pass rush will be crucial for Fackrell to create a future in Green Bay. Fackrell has a prototypical frame at 6-foot-5, 245 pounds, but without the proper execution of technique, it won’t do him any good. It’s clear he’s gotten better in 2018, but skeptics are still not sold on his ability to create game-changing plays.
A lot of Fackrell’s sacks have come from his pure athleticism and length, but his utilization of hand-fighting, spin moves, and other pass rush techniques have picked up dramatically this year. These points will need continued refinement in 2019 to create an encore performance of his breakout year.
If Kyler Fackrell can hone his technical skills in the pass rush instead of relying on his frame and raw talent, he may perform well enough to command a new contract. And having a Green Bay defender rack up back-to-back double-digit sack seasons would be a great thing for the continued reawakening of the franchise.