Paul Bretl | 8/16/2024
GREEN BAY, Wis. — When it comes to Packers’ GM Brian Gutekunst building out the 53-man roster in a few weeks, a big part of that equation is the numbers game–specifically, how many players does he keep at each position group. If Gutekunst goes heavy at one position the consequence of that is having to go light elsewhere.
Numbers-wise, rostering six linebackers on the initial 53-man would be outside the norm. Five is more of the standard league-wide, and if that ends up being the case for the Packers–assuming health–then the roster is pretty well set between Quay Walker, Isaiah McDuffie, Eric Wilson, and early-round rookies Edgerrin Cooper and Ty’Ron Hopper.
However, given how the last few weeks of training camp have unfolded, keeping six linebackers is a decision that seems to be more in play for the Packers than one might have thought a month ago. Particularly finding a way to get Kristian Welch on the roster, who certainly doesn’t have the upside or potential of Cooper or Hopper, and defensively he won’t be expected to see the field. But where he does have a leg up over the rookies is on special teams.
“I honestly love that part about special teams,” said Welch at his locker on Wednesday. “Each phase has it’s own challenges, right? It’s like a very unique thing in football. It’s just fun. I think it just presents a different challenge than kind of any other phase in the game and just being able to understand each little nuance and get the techniques of a punt set down. And then get the techniques of a punt coverage down. And then being able to tackle in open space. All these things kind of bring it together and that’s what I really just enjoy, honestly, especially in the NFL.”
Since entering the NFL in 2020 as an undrafted rookie out of Iowa, Welch has established himself as a core special teams contributor during that span. After spending his first three seasons with Baltimore, the Packers signed Welch to the practice squad late last summer. Then a few weeks into the regular season, he was added to the 53-man roster.
From Week 4 through the NFC divisional playoff round, Welch played 237 snaps, or nearly 49 percent of all the Packers’ special teams snaps–the fourth-highest rate on the team. Welch was a regular contributor across four different phases, finished third on the team in tackles, and among 188 eligible players across the NFL, Welch’s special teams grade from PFF ranked 39th.
“Special teams a lot of times is just being–like wanting it more than the other guy,” added Welch. “So the fundamentals, the details are all part of that, the scheme. Really it starts with your effort. Your ability to out-technique your opponent basically. It comes down to me being able to block that guy more than he wants to go make the play. And then beating them with technique within the umbrella of the scheme.”
In the Packers’ preseason opener against Cleveland, Welch was again an integral part of the special teams unit, playing nine snaps–tied for the third-most on the team–across five of the six different phases.
We frequently discuss the jump from college to the NFL on the offensive and defensive sides of the football and the transition that can often take place for incoming rookies. But the same holds true on special teams as well. Just like on offense and defense, there is the added strength and speed to contend with when competing against NFL players, and there is still the importance of using proper technique, fundamentals, and adjusting to a new scheme.
“The biggest thing for me that made that transition a lot better was I played special teams in college,” said Welch. “Coach LeVar Woods did a great job while I was in college, instilling these principles, fundamentals of blocking. But instilling those little just like little fundamentals, technique principles throughout college, and obviously I played special teams in college, which some guys don’t.”
In regards to experience on teams, Cooper comes to the NFL having seen his share of opportunities while at Texas A&M, playing over 250 snaps during his final two years. Hopper would play just over 140 snaps in that span and primarily on only two of the six phases.
Both rookies, however, are currently working through injuries and have missed valuable time on the practice field, along with not having been able to play in the preseason opener against Denver. Being locked in during meetings, studying the playbook, and going through mental reps are all crucial when trying to stay current with everything that is being taught and implemented, but there is no replacement for the live on-field reps that are being missed. There are some aspects that only experience can teach.
“So, it’s just kind of getting them re-acclimated to the fundamentals, to the skills, to knowing what to do so they can go out there and play fast, because that is an important part of it,” said LaFleur when asked about rookies contributing on special teams. “It’s a great opportunity for a lot of these guys to make their impact early on in this league. So those reps are really valuable.”
The linebacker position, in particular, is an important one when it comes to special teams contributions. In addition to the two rookies and Welch, Wilson and McDuffie would rank first and fifth on the team in special teams snaps in 2023. However, with both taking on larger roles defensively this season, that could mean fewer special teams snaps and the need for the others on the depth chart behind them to take on larger roles.
We saw the Packers take this same approach last year at cornerback, specifically with Corey Ballentine’s teams role being reduced when he was starting on the boundary. Walker and De’Vondre Campbell, the Packers starting linebackers in 2023, also didn’t play anywhere near the special teams snaps that Wilson and McDuffie did.
While the Packers didn’t believe that shifting from a 3-4 to a 4-3 style defense under Jeff Hafley was going to be a major one for their linebackers given the personnel they already had on the roster, that schematic change could alter how they construct the roster at that position. Earlier this offseason, when speaking with reporters, Gutekunst mentioned the potential need to go heavier at this position.
“There’s not a lot of personnel changes we’re going to have to make with the scheme change,” said Gutekunst at the NFL Combine, “but we’ll probably have to carry a couple more linebackers into training camp and maybe one or two more through the 53- and 69-man roster as we go through.”
For Welch, who’s primary role if on the team will be to help on special teams, he is not only competing for a roster spot with the other linebackers, but across multiple position groups who frequently contribute to special teams as well, which includes cornerback and safety. And ultimately, other factors such as a player’s age and their potential are outside elements that can come into play when building out the back-end of the 53-man roster.
With that said, while there may not be a clear path for him to make the team with the new additions that the Packers made at linebacker this offseason, a path does exist through special teams, where Welch and his experience have the advantage over his rookie counterparts.
“At the end of the day you just have to be you,” said Welch. “You can’t–you have to be confident in the player that you are. What you bring to the team and doing that best is what’s going to suit the team best.”