One of the quieter but potentially decisive parts of the Green Bay Packers’ Week 1 trip to face the Minnesota Vikings comes down to a role that doesn’t always grab the spotlight: Chris Brooks as a blocker.
The Packers have made it clear they plan to use a running back-by-committee setup early this season, but Brooks’ value in this matchup may have less to do with how often he touches the ball and more to do with how well he protects Jordan Love. Against Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores and his blitz-heavy front, that could matter a lot.
Flores is going to bring pressure. That’s his identity, and it has been for a long time. Green Bay, meanwhile, has built its protection plans around helping the offensive line in all kinds of ways - chip help from tight ends, awkward pre-snap spacing that forces rushers into bad spots, and running backs who can hold up in pass protection.
That’s where Brooks has already shown he can help.
In a Week 1 clip from last season, Brooks handled a mugged-up Detroit front by passing off a linebacker and then taking on a defensive tackle on a stunt, giving Love enough time to fire a big throw over the middle. It was a clean example of the kind of work that doesn’t show up in flashy box-score numbers but can swing a drive.
PFF ranked Brooks as the fourth-best running back in the league in pass protection last season, and that lines up with the eye test. He’s a strong blocking back, plain and simple.
That makes him a player to watch on obvious passing downs, especially with three of Green Bay’s starting offensive linemen currently on the injury report and limited during Wednesday’s practice. In a game where Flores will almost certainly be hunting for ways to get after Love, Brooks’ protection work could be one of the Packers’ best answers.
There’s also a little extra intrigue on Green Bay’s side. The Packers just signed safety Kahlef Hailassie to their practice squad, and he spent all of training camp with the Vikings before being released two days ago. Teams usually spend two weeks preparing for their Week 1 opponent instead of one because of the extra time between cutdowns and the start of the regular season.
Maybe Hailassie can pass along a little something about the pass-rush plan Flores has been installing. If so, Brooks might be one of the players who benefits most from it.
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