Five Packers to watch vs. Panthers in Week 10 matchup
By Jesse Fry
1. Ibraheim Campbell
Christian McCaffrey is the key for the Panthers. Cam Newton is out for the rest of the year, and while Kyle Allen has been making enough plays for the team to win, McCaffrey is the reason why they are in position to win in the first place.
Since Raven Greene‘s injury in Week 2, the Packers have rotated a slew of players in Greene’s hybrid position with no success. Now it’s Ibraheim Campbell‘s turn.
It might be a bit of a stretch to put this much importance on someone who has yet to play in an actual game this year, but the Packers’ run defense has been horrible and they need some kind of help here.
Oren Burks has yet to gain the coaching staff’s trust, Adrian Amos is better playing a true safety position, B.J. Goodson has played OK but lacks in other areas. The Packers need Campbell to pick up where he left off last year when he tore his ACL when he was playing the same position with good success.
Campbell’s contributions don’t stop in run defense. He has done a good job in pass defense covering tight ends and backs, an area the Packers have also been lacking in.
No one can be sure Campbell is ready for that type of responsibility. He hasn’t played since last December and has only practiced the last three weeks. There is bound to be rust. But if he can give the Packers defense a boost, it will go a long way in helping them win this game.