The Green Bay Packers have holes to fill on defense, especially at inside linebacker. With Blake Martinez likely to depart in free agency, the Packers have brought in former Cleveland Browns linebacker Christian Kirksey.
Kirksey has missed significant time during the past two seasons after playing in all 16 games in each of his first four years in the league. His best seasons were in 2016 and 2017 when he played in all 16 games and recorded over 130 tackles in each season. However, he only played in 7 games in 2018 and just 2 games in 2019. He did have two interceptions in 2018 in less than half a season. They are the only 2 interceptions in his career.
Kirksey missed time in 2018 with ankle and hamstring injuries. In 2019, he suffered a torn pectoral muscle against the New York Jets. The injury required surgery and cost him the remainder of his season. Despite not being able to play, Kirksey traveled with the team and was reported to be a positive influence on the team’s young players.
Blake Martinez is reportedly seeking a $10 million per year contract after three straight seasons of 140+ tackles. After two straight seasons of missing significant time due to injury, Christian Kirksey will undoubtedly be a cheaper option. If he can stay healthy, he would be a great and affordable fit in the Packers’ defense.
Follow me on Twitter at @MrAdams88 and follow us @OTHWisconsin for more great content. Also, be sure to check out the Overtime Heroics Forums page to join in on the discussion. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in Wisconsin sports, click here!
