Before the season, the Green Bay Packers‘ interior defensive line was expected to be one of the deepest groups the team had. Now, they are into Week 6 and will likely need a practice squad call-up to fill the depth.
Head coach Matt LaFleur noted that while the cluster injuries are not fun to deal with, the team is prepared for them.
“We’ve got a plan for that,” stated LaFleur. “But it certainly doesn’t help.”
The team initially carried seven defensive lineman on their 53-man roster coming into the season. Right now they have three healthy lineman with the chance to have a fourth ready for gameday.
Green Bay Packers Have a Plan for Thin Defensive Line
Coming into the season, the Packers had Javon Hargrave, Devonte Wyatt, Karl Brooks, Chris McClellen, Anthony Campbell, Warren Brinson, and Jonathan Ford. The thought was trading someone because of all of the depth.
Green Bay Packers Injuries Leave Them Thin at Defensive Tackle
Campbell has been out all season with an ankle injury. Brinson was placed on the IR after he had a setback. Hargrave is still on the roster, but will be placed on the IR soon. He tore his Achilles in Week 5.
Now, Jonathan Ford will likely be out this week, according to LaFleur. LaFleur did add that Campbell has practiced with Green Bay the past two days. The coach is happy with his progression, but wants to see how he responds before deeming him active.
They have David Blay Jr. on the practice squad. He has not been with the team for long, but he is likely to get called up due to the lack of depth on the roster.
Packers Might Need to Trade for Defensive Lineman
The Packers have been tied to many offensive names before the NFL trade deadline. However, as the days get closer to the deadline, there is a real chance the team will have to buy on the defensive line.
Brinson and Hargrave are not coming back this year. Campbell is a former UDFA, so even when he comes back, there are questions as to what he can bring. They could be asking a lot from their third-round rookie due to the lack of depth.
Some names to consider are Solomon Thomas on the Tennessee Titans. He has been tied to the Packers previously. Arik Armstead of the Jacksonville Jaguars is another name who could get traded for the right price. A’Shawn Robinson is a good depth name to watch.
Then, the big swings would be Vita Vea or Daron Payne. The offensive line is starting to come together and they only need depth at receiver. All of a sudden, the Packers’ biggest need is becoming a notable defensive lineman. We will see if they add one.
Packers Matt LaFleur Addresses Defensive Line Injury Concerns