Packers 2022 draft preview: Draft a linebacker early?
Inside linebacker has long been a position the Green Bay Packers have overlooked.
That was, until, De’Vondre Campbell signed a cheap one-year deal last summer and then put together an All-Pro season. He deservedly got paid by the Packers this spring.
The question now is whether the Packers are set at inside linebacker or whether they should find Campbell a partner in the draft.
Free agency recap
The Packers signed Campbell to a new five-year, $50 million deal in the offseason, and it was completely deserved. In his All-Pro season, Campbell made play after play against both the run and pass and helped Green Bay’s defense reach a new level.
Backup linebacker and core special teams player Oren Burks signed with the San Francisco 49ers.
Need in the draft?
No.
Green Bay often has just one linebacker on the field, and that will be Campbell. Per Pro Football Reference, Campbell played on 91.57 percent of the team’s defensive snaps in 2021.
That said, the Packers may decide they need more depth. Krys Barnes still played a lot, featuring on almost half of the snaps.
While inside linebacker might not be a top priority, if a player Green Bay likes falls to them, maybe GM Brian Gutekunst makes it happen.
Draft outlook
What if Utah’s Devin Lloyd or Georgia’s Nakobe Dean is still available when the Packers hit the clock at No. 22 overall? Or even No. 28?
Not a big position of need, but it may be difficult to pass up the opportunity to draft one of them.
While the Packers often play with just one inside linebacker on the field, with a player like Lloyd, defensive coordinator Joe Barry would have more flexibility.
NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah has Lloyd 12th in his 2022 draft prospect rankings, with Dean 13th. He wrote that Lloyd has “has Pro Bowl potential” and that Dean has “exceptional instincts and play-making ability”.
It all comes down to the Packers’ confidence in Barnes. If they believe he’s good enough to start if needed and they are happy with his role as the backup to Campbell, they likely won’t draft an inside linebacker. But if they feel they can get an upgrade, maybe it happens.
Should it be the expectation Green Bay adds an inside linebacker in the early rounds? Probably not. Would it help the Packers’ defense improve? Quite possibly.