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Packers rookie linebacker Kamal Martin out after knee surgery

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Kamal Martin works during training camp practice.

Green Bay Packers rookie linebacker Kamal Martin, who was pushing for a starting job on the inside, had surgery for a torn meniscus on Tuesday and will miss at least six weeks.

The news was first reported by ESPN’s Rob Demovsky.  The fifth-round pick from Minnesota, suffered the injury to his left knee during the team’s scrimmage at Lambeau Field on Sunday.  Martin didn’t play in his college team’s bowl game last year, opting instead for surgery on his right knee.

Martin was having perhaps the best training camp of all the rookies and was in line to either start or at least play a large role in the defense.

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur refused to confirm the injury during his Wednesday zoom conference with reporters, saying only that the Packers would put out an injury report next Wednesday.

Martin had been competing with Oren Burks and Ty Summers for the starting job opposite newcomer Christian Kirksey.

Packers put Greene on I.R.

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The Green Bay Packers have lost one of their most flexible defenders when they placed safety Raven Greene in injured reserve on Monday.

Greene left Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings with an ankle injury and needed to be carted off the field.  It’s expected that he’ll need surgery and miss a couple of months.  He is eligible to return from IR in eight weeks.

The second year safety spent much of his time as an extra defensive back that lined up in the box as an inside linebacker.  Greene was a replacement for injured linebacker Oren Burks.

Burks isn’t expected to return yet this week against Denver and the Packers will be thin on the inside without Greene.

Greene played more than half of his snaps in the opener against the Bears, in the box.  Against the Vikings, he spent most of his team at linebacker.

Packers make roster moves

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Packers return to practice on Sunday.

With a couple of practices left before Thursday nights preseason finale against Kansas City, the Green Bay Packers made some roster moves.

The Packers had three roster spots open and claimed inside linebacker Nicolas Grigsby, who has played in 23 games in four NFL seasons, mostly as a special teams performer.

It’s possible Oren Burks could be back for the season opener against the Chicago Bears, but it’s unlikely he would play a lot after missing time with a chest injury.  Curtis Bolton had been playing in Burks place but suffered a knee injury in last Thursday’s game against the Raiders in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Blake Martinez is the starter at one inside linebacker spot and rookie Ty Summers and first-year pro Brady Sheldon remain as the top options if Burks can’t return in time.

The Packers also signed a pair of undrafted rookie free agents, linebacker James Folston and defensive back Jocquez Kalili.

Folston has had short stints with Arizona and Tennessee before joining the Packers.  Kalili signed with Jacksonville on May 12th and was released on August 4.

Burks may not need season ending surgery

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Oren Burks (Photo Mike Clemens)

When second year linebacker Oren Burks suffered a pectoral injury in last Thursday’s win over Houston, he thought he was headed for surgery, effectively ending his season.

Burks however, received a second opinion this week and was told surgery wouldn’t be necessary, allowing him to return at some point this season.  It likely means the Packers won’t have to put Burks on injured reserve.

Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst indicated on Tuesday that Burks might not be out that long.  Gutekunst said he wasn’t thinking about adding an inside linebacker because he didn’t think it was necessary.

“We’ll get him back here quicker than I think, but right now, I’d just kind of like to get through this next game and kind of see where we’re at, see where Oren’s at,” said Gutekunst.

Curtis Bolton has been filling in at Burks’ weakside linebacker position with the number one defense.  Rookie Ty Summers is working behind starter Blake Martinez at the other starting linebacker spot.

 

Burks sidelined, Packers deal for some help

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Linebacker Oren Burks

Green Bay Packers rookie linebacker Oren Burks suffered a dislocated shoulder during pre-game warm-ups on Friday in Oakland.

Packers head coach Mike McCarthy said the MRI results were encouraging and they don’t expect Burks to miss too much time.  Whether or not he can recover in time for the season opener September 9th against the Bears remains to be seen.

Sunday, the Packers added some depth at inside linebacker when they dealt backup defensive back Lenzy Pipkens to the Indianapolis Colts for linebacker Antonio Morrison.  Morrison was a 4th round draft pick by the Colts in the 2016 draft.  He started 15 games for the Colts last season.

In Pipkens, the Packers traded a player that wasn’t expected to win a roster spot.  Morrison was facing the same possibility with Indianapolis.

Pipkens appeared in 12 games for the Packers last season.

Ryan out for the season

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Jake Ryan

Green Bay Packers linebacker Jake Ryan suffered a torn ACL in his right knee in practice on Monday and will miss the rest of the season.

Ryan, who is in the final year of his contract in Green Bay, also tore his right ACL when he was in college at the University of Michigan.  He will earn his base salary of $1.907 million for this season.

Ryan was set to start in the Packers base defense, now Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettine will have to find an alternative.  Pettine has used a number of players during practice this week, including Quentin Rollins, Josh Jones and Jermaine Whitehead and rookie Oren Burks in the dime package.

On Tuesday, general manager Brian Gutekunst said he had no plans to replace Ryan with a veteran.  He wanted to see how Burks and the other young players do in Camp.  Ahmad Thomas, Greer Martini and Naashon Hughes have all shown flashes in the first week.

Defensive coordinator Mike Pettine was asked on Wednesday how me might replace Ryan.  Pettine said, “Well, certainly we have experience in a guy that was very productive last year in Blake.  We have the rookie, O.B. (Burks), who has looked good at times.  Still, the transition from the college game to the NFL, it takes some time.

“It’s tough for those guys to come in, and it overwhelms them a little bit at first.  And especially now, we’re working off the entire inventory.  And once we get to game plan situations, we really cut it down.  That’s going to help a lot of our guys that have a lot of stuff running through their head.

“Ahmad Thomas has flashed, certainly, some coverage ability in the days so far.  And then we have some other, younger guys.  We’ll see how it plays out.  It’s a big loss.”

Packers have a tough day on Monday (AUDIO)

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Jake Ryan

Less than a week into training camp, the Green Bay Packers have already suffered what appears to be at least their first major injury.

Linebacker Jake Ryan went down during an 11-on-11 drill, grabbing his knee in pain.

Blake Martinez spoke with Ryan right after practice and said the linebacker was devastated.

The Packers didn’t release any information on Ryan’s injury.  He’ll undergo an MRI today, to determine the seriousness of the injury and just how long he’ll be out.

Next up behind Ryan is rookie Oren Burks, who has played all of the positions in the first week of training camp.

Safety Kentrell Brice also was carted off with a leg injury and defensive end Mike Daniels left with early but said he’ll be OK.

The Packers will return to the practice field on Tuesday.

AUDIO: Blake Martinez says Ryan was devastated after practice :12

AUDIO: Blake Martinez says they have to step up :22

 

 

Jackson signs deal with Packers

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Josh Jackson

And then there was one.  The Green Bay Packers announced the signing of second-round pick, defensive back Josh Jackson out of the University of Iowa.

Jackson was projected by many to be taken in the first round but went unselected until the Packers picked him in round two of this springs NFL Draft.

It leaves the Packers with just one unsigned draft choice out of the 11 selections.  Third-round selection, linebacker Oren Burks out of Vanderbilt is still without a contract.

The Packers open the first of their OTA’s next week.  They have a total of 10 OTA’s prior to the teams mandatory minicamp June 12th through the 14th.

Packers sign top draft pick, Alexander

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#23 Jaire Alexander

The Green Bay Packers signed first-round draft pick Jaire Alexander to a rookie contract, announcing the deal on Tuesday.

Alexander’s four-year deal is worth a reported $11.6 million with a $6.5 million signing bonus.

Alexander becomes the ninth player in the teams 11-player draft class to sign his rookie contract.  Only second-round selection Josh Jackson out of Iowa and third-round pick Oren Burks out of Vanderbilt remain without a deal.

Alexander is expected to give Green Bay some immediate help in the defensive back field after the Packers finished 23rd in the NFL in 2017 in passing yardage allowed per game (236.8).

Alexander suffered through an injury-plagued junior year in which he sustained a knee injury in the season opener against Purdue and a broken hand in practice in late October.  He recorded a 4.38 time in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.

Packers take two corners early, try to make up for 2015

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Brian Gutekunst

The Green Bay Packers selected back-to-back corners in the 2015 draft but Damarious Randall and Quinten Rollins turned out to be major disappointments.  Randall is now with Cleveland and Rollins is recovering from a torn Achilles.

In great need of corner help, the Packers spent back-to-back picks at the top of the draft, with a little wheeling and dealing mixed in.

GM Brian Gutekunst selected Jaire Alexander (CB) out of Louisville with the 18th pick in the first round.  He came back the next day and selected Iowa’s Josh Jackson with the 45th overall pick.

Gutekunst started the day on Friday not thinking about taking another defensive back, but when Josh Jackson was still on the board, that changed things.

Jackson had a fantastic season at Iowa last season.  He led the nation with eight interceptions.  He had two last season that he returned for touchdowns against the Badgers. [Read more…]