Packers Rookie Will Finally Get His Chance Against Bengals

The Green Bay Packers used a sixth-round draft pick this year on Warren Brinson, who played in 59 games at Georgia.

Through the first month of his first NFL season, Brinson has been a healthy inactive in every game.

That’s going to change on Sunday.

With premier starter Devonte Wyatt out with a knee injury, Brinson is going to make his NFL debut at Lambeau Field against the Cincinnati Bengals. As you’d expect, Brinson is fired up.

“Oh, yeah, I’m very excited. Super-excited,” Brinson said.

It’s been an interesting start to Brinson’s NFL career. While he made the roster, he’s watched his fellow Georgia defensive lineman, undrafted rookie Nazir Stackhouse, be active for every game and play in 69 snaps between defense and special teams.

Brinson, though, has remained upbeat.

“Man, just working while you wait,” he said. “That was the same thing at Georgia. We had a saying, ‘Work while you wait,’ because you never know when your number’s going to be called. So, I was just trying to prepare like I’m going to play every week. Coach VO [assistant defensive line coach Vince Oghobaase] told me that every week, no matter if you’re up or you’re down, keep preparing like you’re going to play.”

Brinson took that advice to heart, and his dedicated approach is about to pay off.

“I think Warren’s been doing a really good job within practice, whether it’s on scout team or with us on defense, and in the classroom,” defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington said. “He’s been growing as a player in really making sure he’s in tune with the game plan, whether he’s active or inactive for the game.

“He’s been approaching it as if he’s going to play every single week, which is what he’s supposed to do as a professional football player. For Warren, I think he’s done a really good job in his approach to the game every single week and really done a good job of getting better in the run game and the pass game.”

The Packers will need him because Wyatt is off to a tremendous start. Before the Week 4 game against Dallas in which he exited early because of the knee, he had two sacks and was second among interior defensive linemen in pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.

Wyatt has 13 pressures. The rest of the defensive linemen have combined for 15 – 11 for Karl Brooks and two apiece by Colby Wooden and Stackhouse. Wyatt and Wooden have the only tackles for losses with two apiece.

How will they replace Wyatt’s explosiveness and disruptiveness?

“That’s a good question,” defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley said. “Because he’s having a great year. Not a good year. He’s having a great year. He’s been really physical in the run game, but the other thing he’s been doing, he’s been such a good pocket-push guy in his pass rush and he’s been so effective collapsing the pocket, so, certainly, he was missed in that (Dallas) game a lot.

“But it’s the NFL. Guys are going to get injured, and now you rely on the guys that have been playing, too. You’ve got a bunch of guys in Colby Wooden and Karl Brooks and Stack’s going to have to step up a little bit and Warren Brinson and we’ll move some pieces around. We have confidence in those guys.”

In four seasons at Georgia, Brinson played in all but five games in his career and all but two games during his final three seasons.

Was it hard for the rookie to keep grinding even during those weeks when he knew he wasn’t going to play?

“No, this is my job. I’ve got to do my job,” Brinson said. “Good teams have players who embrace their roles. So, my role was to be a good look for our starting offensive line. That’s my job so I take pride in my job.”

And now his goal is to kick someone’s … butt.

Brinson laughed at the comment.

“I’m going to do my job,” he said with a smile.

Brinson played a lot during the preseason, leading the unit in pressures and tying for the unit lead in solo tackles. He believes he’s “definitely” gotten better over the last month.

“I’m taking reps against one of the best O-lines in the NFL so that’s going to get you better by going against Pro Bowlers, vets like that,” Brinson said. “I’ve been taking those practice reps against those guys every day. I’m trying to give my all and they’re trying to give their all. I’m practicing super-hard and I’m ready.”

The Packers drafted Brinson over Stackhouse because of his athleticism and ability to make impact plays. He’ll finally get a chance to get on the field against the Bengals. To stay on the field beyond this week, though, will require him to play with consistency, he said.

“I can make a lot of splash plays but the biggest thing is being consistent,” he said. “Keeping my technique with me, my fundamentals and just working hard and practicing hard. It’s always practice execution equals the game reality. 

“So, if I practice hard, I’m going to play good. That’s how I’ve been doing every week in, week out, just trying to practice hard. My coach wanted to see more strain from these last couple weeks, I’ve put that on tape for him, so it’s just time to go reap the awards, reap the benefits of it.”

Brinson’s debut will come against a couple familiar foes. The Bengals’ starting offensive line features two of his former Georgia teammates, right tackle Amarius Mims and left guard Dylan Fairchild, though Fairchild is questionable on the final injury report.

“I can’t wait to see my boys. It’s going to be fun,” Brinson said. “It’s going to be strike, smile, strike again. That’s what it’s going to be.”

For Brinson, Sunday’s game – his first as a professional – will be a milestone. He’s worked for years to put himself in this position. Now, his NFL debut awaits. He’s excited about it, as you’d expect, but downplayed the significance.

“It’s another day in the office,” he said. “Yeah, I’m not going to make it too much bigger than what it really is. It’s a football game. I played in the preseason games; it’s the same thing.”