Green Bay Packers: Antonio Morrison is necessary addition
There are still question marks in regards to the defensive unit of the Green Bay Packers. So the club went out and got some experienced help on Sunday.
When it came to the defensive side of the football, things appeared to be looking up for the Green Bay Packers. There’s a new coordinator in the form of Mike Pettine. There was the offseason addition of former Pro Bowl end Muhammad Wilkerson, cut loose by the New York Jets. New general manager Brian Gutekunst added a pair of cornerbacks with the team’s first two selections in April in Jaire Alexander (1-Louisville) and Josh Jackson (2-Iowa).
Then came a major injury. Inside linebacker Jake Ryan, who finished second on the team in tackles in 2016 and third on the club in stops a year, was lost for the season with a knee injury in training camp in early August. So enter 2018 third-round selection Oren Burks, who started Green Bay’s first two preseason games. But he missed the club’s tilt with the Oakland Raiders after injuring his shoulder before the game began.
So on Sunday, Gutekunst orchestrated a trade to acquire inside linebacker Antonio Morrison from the Indianapolis Colts for cornerback Lenzy Pipkins (via Rob Demovsky of ESPN). He comes off a season in which he played and started 15 games and led his club with 109 tackles. But it should also be noted that this is a player that has a long way to go in terms of improvement.
The two-year pro, overall, left a lot to be desired with his performance last season. He was a below-average linebacker, though he did show some signs of promise. However, that promise was while being a part of a bottom-third defensive unit in the Colts.
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It was important that the Green Bay Packers addressed this issue as soon as possible. This is a team that should be better up front with Wilkerson. But both talent and depth is a concern at linebacker and this was a defense that was 17th in rushing defense this past season. Under Pettine, Morrison will have a chance to be a better football player. And for Mike McCarthy’s club, it’s a little insurance at an area that must perform better this fall.