The Green Bay Packers’ overhaul of the inside linebacker position has been full of surprises. It all started with the signing of De’Vondre Campbell last June. An above-average starter in his first five seasons, Campbell played to an All-Pro level in 2021. The Packers then doubled down with the selection of Georgia linebacker Quay Walker with their first pick in the 2022 NFL draft, arming the middle of their defense with athletic playmakers.
Walker will get the chance to be a starter even though he is a rookie playing alongside an All-Pro. Green Bay has already said they will run more two linebacker sets next season, which will be a nice change from their defenses in the past.
“It’s been a while since we’ve been able to stay in certain packages with two inside linebackers and handle everything in run defense and the passing game. This really gives our defense a ton of flexibility,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said following the first round.
Campbell blew us all away with his play last season. He led the team with 146 tackles, while safety Adrian Amos finished second with 93. Assuming Campbell leads the way in tackles again in 2022, that means everyone else will be fighting for second place.
This begs the question: can Walker outtackle the ever-so-reliable Amos? We’ll present the case for each, and you can vote on Twitter.
Case for Amos
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Even as he approaches 30, Amos is considered one of the most consistent players on the team. He has yet to miss a game since signing with the Packers in 2019 and has played close to 100 percent of the defensive snaps. From a production standpoint, Amos is currently averaging almost 87 tackles per season, and Green Bay will expect more of the same moving forward. There are no threats on the current depth chart to threaten his status as a starting safety. It is also safe to expect the Packers to continue to move Amos around on defense. According to Pro Football Focus, over 30 percent of Amos’ snaps came in the box last season, which means he could take snaps away from Walker when the defense is in a sub-package. Amos is a reliable tackler, and it is not uncommon for him to step up to make a big stop in the run game. Anywhere from 80-90 tackles is a reasonable expectation for Amos, which will once again put him in the mix for second place behind Campbell.
Case for Walker
No one knows how big of a role Walker…
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