With the NFL Combine, you always hear news about murmurs about your team. From the looks of it, Green Bay will be going after a linebacker in the free-agency season. We are a few weeks away from NFL free agency. Green Bay’s major needs are linebackers, wide receivers, and offensive linemen. Unlike the Ted Thompson days, Brian Gutekunst isn’t afraid to go all-in on free agents as we saw last season. It appears that he is going after middle linebackers. Packers have been tied to a few top free-agent middle linebackers. And if they’re looking to draft a middle linebacker in Round 1, this would pair with exactly what they did last season.

The names that have been brought up with Packers having some interest are Corey Littleton, Nick Kwiatowski, and Joe Schobert. Two of the three guys come from 3-4 systems and Schobert played in a 4-3 yet played in the 3-4 in college. It would not be hard for him to adjust to that system. Blake Martinez wants 10 million dollars per year, and the Packers have given no inclination that they’re going to drop a bag for him. It appears given their interest in all three free agents that they would rather put their money elsewhere. The question is which one is their favorite?

Some have rumors that Littleton is that guy for him. Littleton is the type of player that could fit exactly with Mike Pettine’s system and plays very fast. That is exactly what the Packers want with their middle linebackers. But with other teams wanting to get fast, there is no question there will be a very lucrative market. He is a West Coast guy (Cali kid went to Washington), so, maybe the idea of Green Bay will not have a ton of interest to him.

As for Kwiatowski and Schobert, they’re both Midwest guys in their way. Kwiatowski played in Chicago and is from Pittsburgh. There is a ton of familiar and seems like he’s on the cusp of being good. It does appear that Chicago sees him as a top priority. They could have a dominant linebacker crew with him and Roquon Smith. Schobert is a Wisconsin guy, and that has appeal to some. He also is fucking good. Joe Panos, Brookfield native, is also his agent and is part of Aaron Rodgers’ agency.

I’m fascinated with how the middle linebacker group will end up. And if they do sign one of these guys, this does not rule out drafting a middle linebacker as we learned last year. Also, they’re going to add a guy that fits the Pettine system as Gutekunst knows that too.

Charlie.