GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) -When the Green Bay Packers didn’t make any significant offseason moves to improve their outside linebacker situation, the emphasis appeared to be on improving from within.
Now Packers coaches have tossed a wild card into their search, putting Brandon Chillar at right outside linebacker with the first-team defense during a training camp practice Monday.
Chillar is a versatile inside linebacker best known for his pass coverage skills. It isn’t clear whether coaches are serious about a permanent position switch or are just experimenting while second-year outside linebacker Brad Jones sits out because of a back injury.
“It was a little bit of a surprise to me,” Chillar said. “But with Brad going down, I think they just wanted to give me some reps just in case, later on in the year. And as I’ve showed them in the past, I can play different positions. I take it as a challenge and it’s fun for me.”
otten by Packers coach Mike McCarthy.
“Playing against him his last year in St. Louis, we felt that he was a very good blitzer, a natural and instinctive runner, but also had the ability to play inside,” McCarthy said. “As you know, he has even played strong safety for us in some situations last year. Once again, it’s just an opportunity to try to find as many different combinations to keep getting these athletes on the field.”
Chillar didn’t get much advance notice from coaches on the switch but tried to make the most of it Monday, getting after the quarterback when he was on the field and hitting up Clay Matthews for advice when he wasn’t.
“He’s not your prototype outside linebacker, but we’ve seen the guy hurdle a running back and sack the quarterback,” Matthews said, referring to Chillar’s leap over running back Garrett Wolfe to sack Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler last year. “I think that speaks volumes for his athleticism. That’s what we need out of an outside linebacker.”
With Chillar lining up on the right side, Matthews moved to the left Monday and said he didn’t mind experimenting.
“I’ve been kind of growing into a right outside linebacker as far as my moves and just really perfecting them, and now it’s time to kind of take them to the left side of the game,” Matthews said. “And hopefully now I can become a master of both sides.”
Matthews at outside linebacker could help a much-improved defense take the next step.
Jones, a seventh-round rookie out of Colorado last year, did an admirable job filling in after Aaron Kampman was injured. Now Kampman has left as a free agent, and the Packers don’t have much in the way of cover if Jones can’t develop into a consistent pass rush threat over the course of a full season.
Another player in the mix, veteran Brady Poppinga, acknowledges he still is trying to master the art of rushing the quarterback as an outside linebacker.
With Matthews and Chillar flanking Nick Barnett and Desmond Bishop on Monday, the Packers had a wealth of athletic linebackers on the field.
“It’s definitely an intriguing idea,” Barnett said.
Running back Ryan Grant said Chillar’s athleticism could pose a unique challenge to opposing offenses.
“Brandon is one of the best, I think, pass rushers we have because he can kind of do it all,” Grant said. “He’s so athletic, and I think a lot of people take that for granted. He’s got great hips, he’s lanky, he can run, he can use his hands well, (he’s) shifty and at the same time can bullrush.”
As a blocker, Grant added with a laugh, “Versatility as a linebacker (stinks) for us.”
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