Green Bay Packers: True impact of the Vince Biegel injury
By Hunter Noll
Vince Biegel will start his rookie season with the Green Bay Packers aon the PUP list, but what does that mean for the green and gold?
The Green Bay Packers have a decent linebacker group. Nick Perry came into his own last season. Meanwhile, Clay Matthews has been one of the most feared pass rushers for years. They need some more help, though, and Biegel was part of that equation.
Biegel was placed on the PUP list on Thursday at the start of training camp. The good news for him is that the injury isn’t too severe, though. Dealing with foot problems, the Packers decided this was what’s best for him. He’s eligible to return in the preseason, which will be good as he prepares for his first taste of NFL action.
Missing all this time is painful for any player, let alone a rookie. Biegel, a fourth-round selection for the Packers, could’ve used this time to get familiar with his teammates on the field and get into a rhythm. Now there will be much more studying than actual action for the linebacker. Biegel could absolutely still find himself in a major role on the Green Bay defense by the beginning of the year. This does open up a door for some other players on the roster, however.
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While some players like Blake Martinez and Joe Thomas already have defined roles, there are plenty of young linebackers looking to find a way into the rotation. This is an opportunity for someone like Johnathan Calvin or Reggie Gilbert to earn some extra playing time for themselves.
Even if someone fills in nicely, this could still hurt the Packers defense. When Biegel returns, there will be almost a scramble to find a fit for him on the defense.
Since he doesn’t have all this extra time to find his perfect role, the Packers will need to unceremoniously drop him into something. Usually, there could be some trial and error here. Instead, Biegel will have to stick to just one spot. That, or maybe take the first few weeks of the season to find that perfect fit.
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No matter what happens, though, the Packers should be excited about Vince Biegel’s future with the team. His career may not be off to the best start, but there’s plenty of time (and potential) for him to figure it all out.