Campbell Returns To Potentially Fill Hole on Defense

Raven Greene’s ankle injury in Week 2 created a void in the Green Bay defense that the Packers had been unable to replace.

Perhaps they have now, with Ibraheim Campbell activated from the physically unable to perform list at Tuesday’s deadline. To make room on the roster, the team released outside linebacker Tim Williams.

With last year’s trade of Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, release of Jermaine Whitehead and injuries to Kentrell Brice, the Packers signed Campbell on Nov. 5. Ten days later, he was on the field at Seattle. Another 10 days later, he played 53 snaps on defense and an additional 25 snaps on special teams at Minnesota. A week after that, Campbell was in the starting lineup against Arizona. Campbell played 46 snaps on defense that day, with 17 of those snaps coming at linebacker, and tallied a career-high 10 tackles. However, while covering a punt, he suffered a torn ACL.

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Campbell’s three games with the Packers – and his history with defensive coordinator Mike Pettine – kept Campbell on Green Bay’s radar. The team signed him on Aug. 8 and placed him on PUP. He started practicing three weeks ago; the 21-day window to add him to the roster, place him on injured reserve or release him closed on Tuesday.

“I’m appreciative of them giving me another opportunity. That’s what I have and I intend to make the most of it,” Campbell said on Aug. 10. “I play my game, do what I was supposed to do. In this league, that says a lot.”

Of Campbell’s 114 snaps last season, 33 came in the box and another 18 came at various spots at the line of scrimmage, according to Pro Football Focus. That was the role Greene played until he suffered a season-ending ankle injury against Minnesota in Week 2. Adrian Amos had taken over some of those box duties but that’s not his forte. Getting Amos back into more of a traditional safety role should benefit the defense.

“This isn’t a complicated game,” Campbell said. “A lot of times you get caught up over-complicating things. (Pettine’s) a great coach. He has a great system. It was kind of familiar stepping back into it. I felt like I did well because of that.”