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Packers: 53-man roster predictions after 2019 NFL Draft

By Freddie Boston

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - NOVEMBER 17: Rashan Gary #3 of the Michigan Wolverines looks on while playing the Indiana Hoosiers at Michigan Stadium on November 17, 2018 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan won the game 31-20. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - NOVEMBER 17: Rashan Gary #3 of the Michigan Wolverines looks on while playing the Indiana Hoosiers at Michigan Stadium on November 17, 2018 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan won the game 31-20. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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Green Bay Packers
LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 28: Linebacker Blake Martinez #50 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates after stopping the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on October 28, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Inside linebackers (3)

Blake Martinez, Oren Burks, Ty Summers

Another area that Green Bay didn’t do much to improve was inside linebacker. They did add Ty Summers in the seventh round, but it’s likely the majority of his work will be on special teams early on.

Gutekunst opted not to re-sign Jake Ryan, who missed the 2018 season with a torn ACL, and will instead hope Oren Burks can make the second-year jump after playing through an injury of his own last year.

The Packers may lack a star at inside linebacker, but they do have consistency with Blake Martinez. Martinez has exactly 144 tackles in each of the past two seasons, hasn’t missed a game since his rookie year in 2016 and also posted a career-best five sacks last season.

If Burks can make a bigger contribution on defense this year, the Packers will be set at inside linebacker.

Considering how strong the secondary looks on paper, it’s entirely possible we see more defensive backs used on the field, lowering the need to use a higher draft pick on an inside linebacker. That said, an injury to Martinez at any point in the year could create an issue due to the lack of depth the Packers currently have at the position.

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