Aaron Kampman, the Green Bay Packers' preferred starter at left outside linebacker in 2009, left in free agency. The jury remains out on second-year man Brad Jones, while veteran Brady Poppinga is best suited to be a backup.
That's why the left outside linebacker is arguably the weakest position on the Packer roster.
"I understand everybody's concerned about that position," Packer general manager Ted Thompson said after the NFL draft concluded last month. "We don't think it's quite as dire as everybody else does. But it is a position we'd like to add a couple more competitors."
Thompson did that immediately after the draft, signing undrafted free agents Tim Knicky of Stephen F. Austin, John Russell of Wake Forest and Frank Zombo of Central Michigan. All three players were defensive linemen in college but will try transitioning to outside linebacker in Green Bay.
And because outside linebacker is perhaps the most unsettled position on the team, at least one of these free agents has a terrific chance to make the 53-man roster.
"I like all their attitudes and their energy," Packer coach Mike McCarthy said of that trio after Green Bay's rookie orientation.
"I like the way they competed in the one-on-one drills. Every one of them flashed in some of the team drills. You can see why they were productive football players in college. I think all three of those guys have a chance."
That, of course, is why all three came to Green Bay in the first place. Still, the trio went undrafted for a reason and each player has an uphill climb to make the final roster.
Knicky (6 feet 4 inches, 251 pounds) was an undersized defensive end that weighed 235 pounds at Stephen F. Austin. Still, Knicky set the school record for sacks (32 1/2) and had 59 1/2 tackles for a loss.
Knicky, who was a three-time academic All-Southland Conference choice, is certainly bright enough to make a positional switch. And he was certainly smart enough to see Green Bay's lack of depth at outside linebacker as he weighed offers from other teams after the draft.
"Green Bay was a great opportunity, not a big number at outside linebacker, so it was a great opportunity," Knicky said. "It's going to take some work just getting into the knowledge of the game. . . . I can do everything they need me to do."
Zombo (6-3, 254) was an All-Mid-American Conference player the last two seasons and finished second in school history in sacks (25 1/2). But he did that as a 270-pound defensive end and played with his hand on the ground in a 4-3 scheme.
Some NFL teams expressed interest in Zombo playing tight end. But Zombo thought his best chance was to try switching spots on defense.
"Playing defensive end in a four-man front, now going into playing an outside linebacker in a three-man front is, yeah, quite the transition," Zombo said.
"But with coach (Kevin) Greene coaching me, I can see he's excellent. And so far it's going pretty well. I lost a little weight, so I feel a little bit more athletic. Right now, I'm just trying to absorb this playbook, trying to get as much of it down as I can."
Zombo had almost no exposure to standing up or dropping in coverage at Central Michigan. Interestingly, though, one of the few times Zombo did drop back in coverage he notched an interception and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown.
"It was my last play at my home stadium against Northern Illinois," Zombo said. "I dropped one time and had a pick six. Hopefully, I'll have some more situations like that here."
Russell (6-3, 260) has arguably the toughest transition to make. Russell was a defensive tackle at Wake Forest, where he started 29 games and had 10 1/2 sacks and 20 1/2 tackles for a loss.
Russell gained weight after the season, anticipating teams would ask him to play defensive end in a 3-4 scheme. But the Packers saw Russell as an outside linebacker, despite his pedestrian 40-yard dash time (4.90).
"It is a transition," Russell said. "I'm actually happy to make it. I even feel more assured that I can definitely do this.
"In terms of quickness, I feel I'm naturally laterally as quick as anybody and that's only something I'll get better with as I lose weight. I feel really good about the position and the transition. It's going to take some getting used to, but once everything comes together in camp, that's where we're really going to see what's happening."
Thompson could add a veteran such as former Patriot linebacker Adalius Thomas to the mix. But that hasn't been his style, meaning if someone from this trio of undrafted free agents can shine this summer, their chances of sticking are solid.
"We're all out here, there's no drafted guys," Knicky said. "We're all in the same boat; we're all free agents, so it's a great opportunity for every one of us."