Grading the 2023 Packers: Quay Walker and Inside Linebackers

The Green Bay Packers were hoping the pairing of 2021 All-Pro De’Vondre Campbell with 2022 first-round pick Quay Walker would provide an elite, game-changing duo of inside linebackers.

That didn’t quite happen, and now significant changes could be on the way. New defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley could be implementing a 4-3 base defense. That would mean three off-the-linebackers in the starting lineup. Moreover, having not been able to re-create his elite 2021 season, Campbell could be a cap-saving cut.

Before getting too far into 2024, here is our 2023 report card. As always, our grades are based on a player’s impact relative to the salary cap. Stats are from Pro Football Focus, Sports Info Solutions and the NFL.

De’Vondre Campbell

2023 cap: $5,527,882. Position rank: 13th, according to OverTheCap.com.

With injuries limiting him to 11 games, Campbell had one of the worst statistical seasons of his career. He had 75 tackles, zero sacks, three tackles for losses, zero interceptions, one pass defensed and zero forced fumbles. In 2021, when he was an All-Pro, Campbell had 145 tackles, two sacks, six tackles for losses, two interceptions, five passes defensed and two forced fumbles.

In 2023, Campbell had 7.67 snaps per tackle; it was 6.81 two years ago. He gave up 24-of-30 passing (80.0 percent) with a unit-best 11.8 snaps per reception but a unit-worst three touchdowns. He missed eight tackles (9.9 percent) and his average tackle limited the play to 3.5 yards. In 2021, his missed-tackle rate was an NFL-best 2.9 percent. In 2023, he ranked just inside the top half. The run defense was 0.17 yards per carry better with Campbell on the field.

Campbell signed a five-year contract worth $50 million after his blockbuster 2021. Releasing him would create about $2.6 million. Are they so eager to move on that they’d swallow $11.6 million in dead cap and create a hole in the lineup? He’ll turn 31 before training camp.

Grade: D.

Quay Walker

2023 cap: $3,145,828. Position rank: 33rd, according to OverTheCap.com.

A first-round pick in 2022, Walker in 2023 played in 14 games and recorded a team-high 118 tackles along with 2.5 sacks, seven tackles for losses, one interception (a pick-six at Chicago) and three passes defensed. Compare that to his rookie-year totals of 121 tackles, 1.5 sacks, five tackles for losses, zero interceptions and seven passes defensed.

Had he not dropped a couple interceptions, the narrative surrounding his second season would be different. With a focus on the mental side of the game and having started to meditate at the urging of Jaire Alexander, he kept his cool after being ejected twice as a rookie.

Even while missing three games, he played a team-high 849 defensive snaps. He averaged 7.19 snaps per tackle. Walker gave up 45-of-53 passing (84.9 percent) with two touchdowns and 7.9 snaps per reception. Last year, it was 67.4 percent and 12.5 snaps per reception. He missed 12 tackles (9.2 percent) and his average tackle limited the play to 2.8 yards. The run defense was 0.02 yards per carry worse with Walker on the field.

Grade: C-plus

Eric Wilson

2023 cap: $1,092,500. Position rank: 87th, according to OverTheCap.com.

Wilson played in all 17 games. He had a team-high 11 tackles on special teams and added 20 tackles on defense.

Had the Packers held off the 49ers in their divisional playoff game, his hustling, diving recovery of Keisean Nixon’s kickoff-return fumble would have made him one of the heroes of the game.

Wilson had 122 tackles, three interceptions and eight passes defensed for the Vikings in 2020. So, he is much more than “just” a special teams player. When injuries thrust Isaiah McDuffie into the starting lineup, Wilson frequently entered on passing downs. According to PFF’s judgment of coverage responsibilities, he allowed 10-of-10 passing for 88 yards with a unit-worst 7.6 coverage snaps per reception. He had one tackle for every 6.05 snaps – best among the linebackers – missed four tackles (17.4 percent) and his average tackle limited the play to 2.6 yards.

Wilson will be an unrestricted free agent. The Packers would be smart to bring him back.

Grade: C.

Isaiah McDuffie

2023 cap: $972,676. Position rank: 108th, according to OverTheCap.com.

With De’Vondre Campbell and Quay Walker battling injuries, McDuffie started eight of 17 games and played almost half the defensive snaps. He finished second on the team with 82 tackles and added five tackles for losses, a half-sack, three quarterback hits and one pass defensed.

For an interesting comparison, Campbell played 62 more defensive snaps than McDuffie. McDuffie had seven more tackles, two more tackles for losses and one more quarterback hit, and they each had one pass breakup.

McDuffie had 6.26 snaps per tackle. He gave up 22-of-28 passing (78.6 percent) with 11.7 snaps per reception. He missed 14 tackles (14.4 percent) and his average tackle limited the play to 2.2 yards. The run defense was 0.22 yards per carry worse with McDuffie on the field.

Grade: B-minus.

Kristian Welch

2023 cap: $841,667. Position rank: 133rd, according to OverTheCap.com.

A standout on special teams for the Ravens, Welch joined the Packers’ practice squad on Aug. 31 and was promoted to the 53-man roster on Sept. 28. Welch, who grew up not far from Green Bay, played in 14 games. While he logged zero snaps on defense, he was fourth on the team in special-teams snaps (210) and third in tackles (six). He added one tackle in the two playoff games.

Welch will be an unrestricted free agent. Of course, he’d like to be back.

Grade: C.