The Green Bay Packers have injuries at linebacker
The Green Bay Packers Week One performance was not the showcase the team was hoping for on defense. One of the main Packers talking points this offseason was that the defense had improved for the 2022 season. The Minnesota Vikings appeared to expose the defensive talent that was on the field. Especially in the first half.
Injuries to the Packers’ defense didn’t help matters against the Vikings. Packers rookie linebacker Quay Walker and linebacker Krys Barnes suffered injuries in Minnesota. Walker should be back in action this week. Barnes was placed on the IR and will miss at least four weeks. The Packers could use help with depth at the linebacker position now.
Packers could trade with the Atlanta Falcons for a Pro Bowl athlete
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report named the Packers as a potential landing spot for Atlanta Falcons linebacker Deion Jones if the team options to trade him as they attempted to in the offseason. Knox listed the 2017 Pro Bowl linebacker as a good fit for the Packers or Dallas Cowboys:
The Green Bay Packers should also be interested in Jones once he’s healthy enough to play. Linebacker Krys Barnes suffered a lower-leg injury in Week 1 and could miss a significant amount of time.
According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Barnes is “believed” to have suffered a high-ankle sprain and calf injury and is likely to miss multiple weeks. Green Bay would have to wait a few weeks to add Jones, but Jones returned to practice before landing on IR and could be ready to return long before Barnes is.
The Green Bay Packers should move with caution
I’m sure the coaching staff is ready to overreact after a terrible performance by the defense against the Vikings. The linebacker play wasn’t great. The team could use more help at the position.
Jones is coming off of an injury. So that would be a potential concern if the Packers decide to trade for Jones. They shouldn’t force a trade unless he’s healthy. But Jones could be a significant asset to the team if he is in full form. Jones had 137 combined tackles in 2021, just one tackle under his career high in 2017.
He also has a successful history of creating turnovers and scoring. Jones has 11 interceptions, five of them for touchdowns, since coming into the league in 2016. He’s also forced four fumbles and recovered two more. Those skills are something the Packers could have used in Week One against the Vikings.
