In terms of the team’s depth, linebacker and the interior offensive line have emerged as two areas that could be vulnerable if you’ve been watching the Green Bay Packers’ roster over the past few weeks. With starter Isaiah McDuffie listed as questionable heading into the game, the team almost had to start their Thanksgiving night game against the Miami Dolphins with just three healthy linebackers, including rookie Ty’Ron Hopper, who has only played defensive snaps in one NFL game so far. Two days prior to Thanksgiving, the Minnesota Vikings also cut former first-round pick Jamin Davis from the practice squad, further casting doubt on the team’s depth at the position.
Jordan Morgan, a first-round rookie who was stepping in as a right guard, didn’t have a problem with the interior offensive line, but he is currently on the injured reserve due to a shoulder ailment. Due to consecutive healthy scratches, youngster Jacob Monk has been the Packers’ only backup interior offensive lineman on their 53-man roster for the past two weeks. These all help to understand why it wasn’t shocking when Green Bay signed guard Marquis Hayes and linebacker Michael Barrett, two past draft picks, on Saturday.
At 5’11” and 232 pounds, Barrett is a smallish covering linebacker who was initially selected by the Carolina Panthers in the seventh round of the April draft. until the cutdown deadline, he was actually traded to the Seattle Seahawks, where he spent some time on their practice squad until being selected by the Cleveland Browns’ practice squad. On the Wolverines’ national championship squad, the Michigan product served as team captain.
Could he be a little bigger? Sure. Can the Packers really be choosers when they’re so clearly beggars at the linebacker position? Absolutely not.
Could he have a bit more size? Yes. The Packers are obviously beggars at linebacker, so can they really be choosers? Not at all. Hayes, who was selected in the sixth round out of Oklahoma two years ago, has played for the Washington Commanders and Arizona Cardinals. After more than two months with the Commanders, he was just discharged from the practice squad on November 26.
In order to make the math work, the Packers dismissed receiver Malik Knowles, one of their four practice squad receivers, even though they already had a vacant practice squad place due to Davis’ injury. Hayes joins Donovan Jennings and Spencer Rolland as offensive lineman on the team’s practice squad, while Barrett is now the only linebacker on the squad.
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