Packers: 5 biggest 2020 draft needs so far this season

2. Inside linebacker

Not for the first time in the past five years, inside linebacker has become a major need for the Packers.

Blake Martinez is a free agent in the offseason, but he hasn’t played anywhere near well enough in 2019 to deserve a new long-term deal. While he again leads the team in tackles, he isn’t making a big enough impact in run defense.

Meanwhile, second-year Oren Burks is struggling to get on the field. According to Pro Football Reference, Burks played just eight snaps last week against the Chargers, and zero the week prior against the Chiefs. That’s not particularly encouraging.

It’s way too early to tell which free agents will be available in March, as many teams will re-sign their top players before then. But if a starting inside linebacker becomes available when free agency gets underway, Gutekunst should do whatever it takes to make a move. It will all depend on cap room, and after being aggressive this past offseason, it won’t be easy to make more big deals next spring.

If the Packers miss out on a top free agent at the position, they’ll need to make inside linebacker a priority in the draft. As things stand, they shouldn’t re-sign Martinez.