For the first time in years, the Green Bay Packers have two talented inside linebackers capable of staying on the field and anchoring the defense in all situations.
General manager Brian Gutekunst used one of his first-round picks on Thursday night on Georgia’s Quay Walker, who will team with All-Pro De’Vondre Campbell to give the Packers one of the best linebacker duos in football.
Gutekunst thinks adding Walker could fundamentally change how the Packers approach playing defense personnel-wise.
“It’s been a while since we’ve been able to stay in certain packages with two inside ‘backers and handle everything in run defense and the passing game. This really gives our defense a ton of flexibility,” Gutekunst said Thursday night.
Walker was a 15-game starter for Georgia’s historic defense last year. His size and athleticism give him a chance to be an immediate, full-time starter next to Campbell, a potential dream scenario for Joe Barry.
“Every defensive coordinator would love to have two guys that can really run and do the things that the guys that we have can do now, with Quay and Dre,” Gutekunst said. “There’s an ability now for us to stay in base and nickel in certain situations that maybe we haven’t had.”
Gutekunst highlighted the growing value in having two inside linebackers who can handle all three downs and never come off the field. For years, the Packers have been forced to play with extra defensive backs on the field to make up for talent deficiencies at linebacker. With Campbell signed to a $50 million deal and Walker now a first-round pick, the talent is in place.
“Having two interchangeable pieces there just gives our defense so much flexibility to stay in a certain personnel grouping. That was certainly attractive,” Gutekunst said. “You see in the league sometimes, there are certain defenses that don’t have to get out of certain personnel packages and it makes it really tough on offenses. His range and speed and…
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