Packers GM Gutekunst Discusses Future of De’Vondre Campbell

At the Scouting Combine on Tuesday, Green Bay Packers GM Brian Gutekunst discussed his linebackers, including De'Vondre Campbell and Quay Walker.

INDIANAPOLIS – Really, there is only one major change for the Green Bay Packers as they transition from Joe Barry’s 3-4 defense, a scheme used since 2009, to new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley’s 4-3 alignment.

It’s the number of off-the-ball linebackers, with the count going from two starters to three. That change could impact the roster in one big way.

With 2022 first-round pick Quay Walker and the emergence of 2021 sixth-rounder Isaiah McDuffie, general manager Brian Gutekunst might have been willing to move on from former All-Pro De’Vondre Campbell. At age 30, he’s the third-oldest player on the roster behind only David Bakhtiari and Preston Smith. His $14.23 million cap charge is the seventh-highest on the team.

Moreover, Campbell has been unable to rekindle the magic from his 2021 All-Pro season – a dominant performance that earned him a five-year, $50 million contract in free agency the following offseason. In 16 games in 2021, Campbell had 102 solo tackles, two interceptions, five passes defensed and two forced fumbles. In 24 games the past two seasons, he had 102 solo tackles, two interceptions, four passes defensed and zero forced fumbles.

Combining those factors, Campbell looked like a potential cost-cutting cut. Now, the Packers might rather keep him instead of creating a hole in the lineup. Due a $6.95 million base salary and $2.9 million roster bonus, his future probably will be a topic of conversation between Gutekunst, Russ Ball and Campbell’s agent, Joe Panos, this week in Indianapolis.

“I’d love to have De’Vondre back,” Gutekunst told a group of beat reporters at the Scouting Combine on Tuesday. “We’re going through all that, the contract stuff, right now. We’ll kind of see how it all shakes out. Obviously, we just got the cap number. We’re working through some of that stuff, but he’s been an ultimate pro for us, really good player. We’ll kind of see where that goes.”

Releasing him would mean the team could save the combined $10.9 million in salary, roster bonus, per-game bonuses and workout bonus. That’s a lot of cash. However, the cap savings would be a rather minimal $2.6 million.

With or without Campbell, the Packers are short-handed at linebacker. The depth chart without Campbell paints the picture.

2023: Starters – Walker and Campbell. Backups – McDuffie, Eric Wilson, Kristian Welch.

2024: Starters – Walker, McDuffie and TBA. Backups – None. Question mark – Campbell. Free agents – Wilson and Welch.

“It’s a little thin right now,” Gutekunst said. “There’s some guys that we’d like to get back. We’re going to have to add. There’s not a lot of personnel changes we’re going to have to make with the scheme change, but we’ll probably have to carry a couple more linebackers into training camp and maybe one or two more through the 53- and 69-man roster as we go through. We’ll be a little bit more heavy there, so we’re going to have to add some numbers.”

However it shakes out and regardless of where he lines up, the unit will be anchored by Walker.

Over his two seasons, he is 25th in the NFL with 239 tackles. He is one of only 11 players with at least 230 tackles, 12 tackles for losses and 10 passes defensed.

“I know the coaches are really excited about him,” Gutekunst said. “As they got to know our team and go through our team, they’re really excited about what he can do. He’s had a phenomenal first two years in the league, been very, very steady for us and his growth has been really good.

“He had a little bit of an injury in the middle of the year that slowed him down, but he’s played a lot of really good football for us. I know he’s excited, I know our coaches are excited. He’s just such a versatile player. He can do so many things in all phases of the game. I think it’ll be a learning curve for sure because there are going to be some new things they’re going to ask him to do, but I do think his ability to make plays within the box and outside and rush the passer, he can kind of do it all.”

Gutekunst Looking to Add at Surprising Position