Linebacker Isaiah McDuffie is no highlight-reel machine or a frequent subject of headlines, but he is a versatile cog in the Green Bay Packers' rotation. The team rewarded him on Monday with a one-year extension that will reportedly pay him $8.8 million, including $1 million in incentives, through 2027.
While McDuffie wasn't talked about as a must-keep extension candidate, the Packers made their position clear on the former sixth-round pick. General manager Brian Gutekunst knows the value McDuffie brings as a sometime starter and high-level backup.
Even given his modest contract, that Green Bay was not content to let him play out the final year of his contract and test free agency next offseason is a strong indication of his cost-effective worth. Gutekunst wasn't about to risk losing him, and for good reason.
Packers know what Isaiah McDuffie brings to the defense
The Packers quickly filled Quay Walker's vacated spot by trading for Zaire Franklin, a move that took McDuffie out of the running for the second starting spot and could have been interpreted as a knock against him. Instead, the team has ensured he will be a part of at least two seasons in which Green Bay has every intention of competing for a Super Bowl.
Despite his unsung status, McDuffie's versatility makes him a perfect fit behind Edgerrin Cooper and Franklin. A sure-handed run defender, he missed only six tackles on the season, per Pro Football Reference, despite accounting for 92 total. McDuffie earned above-average PFF grades in run defense, in coverage, and even in limited reps as a pass rusher.Â
He is physical, quick, and instinctive, and while he isn't flashy, he gets the job done. To that point, he easily outdid both Walker and Franklin by PFF grade last season, clocking at 30th out of 88 qualified off-ball LBs. Depending on how often defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon deploys 4-3 fronts, McDuffie is more than capable of being the third inside linebacker.
McDuffie's coverage skills will come in handy, particularly with Franklin's struggles in that area last season. It's worth noting that if Franklin ends up looking as bad as he did last year for the Colts, and the Packers move on from him after one season, McDuffie provides depth-chart insurance beyond 2026.
His relentless preparation and work ethic are ideal complements to his on-field skill set. The 220th pick in the 2021 draft, McDuffie has worked his way up the depth chart from the beginning. He went from special teams rookie, to fringe depth piece, to part-time starter, and then to a full-timer by 2024.Â
There is a reason the Packers have kept him around. McDuffie may lack the upside of an every-week starter in a 3-4 defensive front, which requires only two off-ball linebackers on the second level, but as a third option, few teams can boast better.
Interestingly, extending McDuffie aligns his contract with both Franklin's and Cooper's deals, which are set to expire after 2027, although it would be somewhat shocking if Cooper is not extended by then. In any case, the Packers should now have their ducks in a row for at least the next two seasons. If money talks, they consider McDuffie to be a part of that vision.
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