Packers by position: Linebackers by Rob Demovsky  

Once again this April, the Press-Gazette will provide a pre-draft breakdown of the Packers roster at each position by beat writer Rob Demovsky. This will lead up to the start of Pete Doughertys annual position-by-position draft series on April 21.

Linebackers

What they have

Inside linebackers: Desmond Bishop, A.J. Hawk, Nick Barnett, Brandon Chillar, Matt Wilhelm, Cardia Jackson

Outside linebackers: Clay Matthews, Brad Jones, Frank Zombo, Erik Walden, Brady Poppinga, Robert Francois, Diyral Briggs , Curtis Young

Position analysis

Theres all kinds of depth at this position, but theres still one thing missing: Another stud to play OLB opposite Matthews, the runner-up for defensive player of the year last season. Jones cant stay healthy long enough to show what he can do. Zombo and Walden were more than adequate fill ins, especially Zombo against the run and Walden as a pass rusher, but neither is a stud. In this defense, the OLBs need to be studs. Poppinga is coming off another ACL surgery and hasnt shown hes that stud rusher, either. The starters on the inside are set with Bishop and Hawk, who both signed long-term contract extensions. Barnett and Chillar are both coming off major injuries. Wilhelm was strictly a special teams player last season.

The future

On the inside, the Packers have decisions to make about Barnett and Chillar. Barnett had major wrist surgery but should be recovered. The problem is, his base salary is $5.5 million for 2011, so chances are the Packers will part ways with him. Chillars base is a more manageable $2 million, but his shoulder injury wont be easy to overcome. But its easier to find backups on the inside than it will be to find studs on the outside. Perhaps the Packers will be content to let the trio of Jones, Walden and Zombo hold down that spot, but more likely GM Ted Thompson will try to upgrade. UCLAs Akeem Ayers could be there for the Packers at pick No. 32. Thompson attended the UCLA pro day, although thats not unusual, so it cant be said he went specifically to see Ayers.

This is the seventh in a position-by-position series evaluating the Green Bay Packers needs entering the 2011 draft.

LINEBACKER

Need level: Low

On the roster: OLB Clay Matthews, ILB Desmond Bishop, ILB A.J. Hawk, OLB Erik Walden, OLB Frank Zombo, ILB Nick Barnett, OLB Brad Jones, ILB Brandon Chillar, OLB Diyral Briggs, OLB Brady Poppinga, OLB Robert Francois, OLB Cardia Jackson, ILB Matt Wilhelm.

Outlook: Defensive coordinator Dom Capers kept losing guys last year, but thanks to some outstanding scouting on the pro personnel side, he was able to plug the holes. Now he has three returning starters in Matthews, Bishop and Hawk and a whole bunch of guys hungry for playing time. Barnett is one of those and hes going to have to earn his place back in the lineup. The Packers might let him go through camp, see if there are injuries or if he outperforms somebody and then make a decision on his future. They could also wind up with an inside guy in the draft and let Barnett go right away. A lot has been made about GM Ted Thompson wanting a complement to Matthews on the right side. Its hard to know exactly what hes thinking, but one thing is clear: he doesnt have to take an outside rusher. He won a Super Bowl with Walden and Zombo sharing the position and Jones has starter potential. None of the three are proven playmakers and were low-round picks or free agents for a reason. Adding a beast on that side would help offset the loss of DE Cullen Jenkins and make it more difficult for Matthews to be double-teammed. Poppinga, Wilhelm and Francois will have a hard time making the team.

Eye-opening stat: Barnett, Jones, Chillar and Poppinga missed a combined 56 games last year, including playoffs.

Whats available: Its very possible a talented pass-rusher will wind up at the top of GM Ted Thompsons board at the end of the first round. Theres lots of debate about where Georgias Justin Houston and UCLAs Akeem Ayers will fall, but chances are neither will slip to the Packers. If theyre off the board, he could consider Arizonas Brooks Reed, but No. 32 might be too high. An intriguing prospect is Nevadas Dontay Moch, a raw athlete big-play potential who might be available at the end of the third round. Texas Sam Acho could fall there, too. After that, the pickings arent great and Thompson probably wouldnt be able to do much better than what he already has on his roster. There are a number of quality inside linebackers who could interest Thompson, including Georgias Akeem Dent and Oregons Casey Matthews, Clays younger brother.

Bottom line: As much as it has been speculated that this is a position Thompson will address, the truth is hes probably not going to use a high pick on an outside linebacker. Its more likely hell consider it in the middle rounds and then add a number of free agents when they are eligible to be signed.

It is interesting to see that Silverstein feels that GB may not go after an OLB after the first 3 (or 4 rounds)

"wpr" wrote:

I heard they might also move Brad Jones inside. Especially if they cut Barnett.

"nerdmann" wrote: