Anthony Campbell has already forced the Packers into a conversation they didn’t expect to be having this early in training camp.
The former Miami defensive tackle has come out of the gate strong, enough that his name is starting to linger in a Packers defensive line picture that already looked crowded. Devonte Wyatt, Javon Hargrave and Chris McClellan are viewed as safe bets to make the 53-man roster, and it would be a surprise if Karl Brooks and Warren Brinson were left off.
That’s five interior linemen already. If Green Bay carries a sixth, the next names in line appear to be Nazir Stackhouse and Jonathan Ford.
That’s what makes Campbell’s start so interesting: there didn’t seem to be much room for him. Now he’s making the Packers think twice.
"Anthony freakin' Campbell. All 6-6 of Anthony freakin' Campbell, by the way.
Two more passes deflected at the line of scrimmage," Andy Herman of the Pack-A-Day Podcast said after Sunday's practice. "I've seen a couple plays where he's held up pretty good in run defense.
I've not seen much from a pass-rush standpoint yet from Anthony Campbell, but he's got three passes batted down in the past two practices."
Herman also said Campbell has gotten "a little bit" of time with the first-team defense, which only adds to the idea that Green Bay is taking a closer look.
If anyone on the current roster has reason to watch this development closely, it might be Stackhouse. The Packers are still sorting through their nose tackle options, and that decision could shape the rest of the group.
Javon Hargrave has played nose tackle before, and the team thinks rookie Chris McClellan can handle the spot. Jonathan Ford has also flashed at camp and could work his way into the discussion.
If Brian Gutekunst feels good about those choices at nose, Stackhouse could be the one squeezed out.
That would be a notable turn for a player coming off a rough rookie year. Stackhouse played only 14.2 percent of Green Bay’s defensive snaps and finished with a Pro Football Focus grade of 43.5. The Packers wanted more help against the run on early downs, but his PFF run-defense grade came in at just 44.5.
Campbell, meanwhile, is changing the tone of the competition with his own play. Herman said he has not done much yet as a pass-rusher, but the rest of his early work has been hard to ignore. He’s shown up in the run game, and the repeated deflections at the line of scrimmage are turning heads for a reason.
There’s still plenty of time for the picture to shift. Pads go on Monday, and the preseason games are still ahead, which means Campbell still has to keep proving this isn’t just a hot start.
Still, nobody had him on the radar as a serious 53-man roster possibility before camp began. That’s no longer the case.
Green Bay has until August 30 to get from 90 players down to 53, and Campbell is making that cut-down process a little more complicated than anyone expected. If he keeps stacking days like this, Brian Gutekunst may end up with a real dilemma on his hands.
In Other News...
Packers Just Got A Crucial Parsons Update For Their Defense
Micah Parsons arrival in Green Bay comes with the kind of caution that makes sense for a player the Packers want for the long haul. After last seasons ACL and meniscus injury, the team is not rushing the process, choosing instead to protect his long-term health while he works back into form for a defense that expects him to change games when he is ready.
There is still no exact timetable, only the sense that the wait could stretch into the middle of the season before he is back on the field. Even so, one former NFL executive sounded upbeat about what comes next, believing Parsons can return at a high level without lingering issues and maybe even bring a little extra edge with him once he does. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Pass Rush May Be Stuck Waiting On Josh Sweat
The Packers have been looking for help off the edge while Micah Parsons works back from injury, and Josh Sweat has emerged as one of the names to watch. Sweat is currently on the Physically Unable to Perform list with knee maintenance, and he has also reportedly submitted a trade request, putting Green Bay in the mix as it tries to strengthen a pass rush that could use another proven piece.
For now, though, the path to a deal is cloudy. Green Bay has shown interest, but the sides have not found common ground on what Sweat is worth, and the Cardinals are in no rush to make a move with the trade deadline still ahead. Until that changes, the Packers may have to keep waiting and keep weighing other options while this one remains in limbo. [Read more 🡒]