Green Bay Packers: 5 Free agents still available before training camp
By Joe Kipp
2. Kawann Short, DL
On paper, the Packers have one of the NFL’s worst defensive line rotations along the interior. Of course, Kenny Clark is one of the league’s best at stopping the run and rushing the passer from the inside. But Clark can’t do everything by himself. The Packers need to bolster their depth at that position. Dean Lowry and Tyler Lancaster surely aren’t inspiring much confidence, at least to anyone who’s watched them over the past couple of seasons.
Kawann Short is available in free agency and would be an excellent rotational defensive tackle in new defensive coordinator Joe Barry’s versatile scheme. Barry loves to move around his defensive linemen, especially on passing downs. Short would give the Packers more versatility. The butterfly effect? Clark would be able to move around more and not be exclusively a nose tackle, giving him more opportunities to rush the passer in 1-on-1 situations.
Short, who was drafted in the second round in 2013, has spent his entire eight-year career with the Panthers. During that time, he was named to two Pro Bowls and was once named an All-Pro. More of a run stopper, Short would give the Packers another big body in the middle of the defense on early downs.