Packers: Christian Kirksey Adds Much-Needed ‘Versatility’ to LB Position
By Paul Bretl
In a recent Zoom call with reporters, Christian Kirksey said that whether it be the passing game or run game, he will bring ‘versatility’ to this Green Bay Packers’ defense.
During his tenure with the Green Bay Packers, linebacker Blake Martinez had proven to be durable as he rarely missed a snap. He was oftentimes around the ball, totaling 443 tackles over the last three seasons and led the NFL in that category in 2017. Not to mention that he was the quarterback of this defense as well.
However as most of us are aware, he also came with his limitations. Although he had gaudy tackle numbers, they often came downfield rather than stopping the running back at the line of scrimmage. On top of that, working in space wasn’t exactly Martinez’s strong suit and he didn’t make many of those impact plays.
As we all saw in the NFC Championship Game, the Green Bay Packers could certainly use some extra help against the run, and for much of the season, they were picked apart over the middle of the field by the opposing passing game. While those two deficiencies don’t all fall on the shoulders of Martinez, an off-ball linebacker that is capable in both areas would provide some much-needed help.
Well, that ability to help against the run and provide a boost in coverage is something that free-agent signee Christian Kirksey says he can bring to the defense. In a Zoom call with reporters on Wednesday, when asked about what he brings to Green Bay, here is what he had to say:
"“I’d like to bring versatility to the defense, whether it’s the passing game or the running game. I played in space (in Cleveland) the majority of the time.”"
The biggest concern at the moment in regards to Kirksey is his health. Over the last two seasons with Cleveland, he has appeared in only nine total games. With that said, if he can stay on the field, the Green Bay Packers are getting a proven linebacker who will bring that versatility and some speed to the position.
During the 2016 and 2017 seasons – Kirksey’s last two healthy years – he had shown that he can make plays around the line of scrimmage. Over those 32 games, he would record 129 stops, which are plays that end in a loss for the offense, along with 35 total pressures, seven of which were sacks according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
For some context, over Martinez’ previous two seasons, he would total just 104 stops, 26 pressures, along with seven sacks as well.
Kirksey has also proven to be a reliable tackler, finishing eighth among all linebackers in tackling efficiency in 2016 as he averaged nearly 18 tackles for every miss. Then in 2017, he would finish 19th with an average of 12.0 tackles for every miss. Once again for comparison’s sake, Martinez’s best season was in 2019 with an efficiency rating of 11.5.
In terms of Kirksey’s coverage ability, nobody is ever going to say that he is elite for a linebacker. Especially if you’re looking solely at his numbers. Over his career, Kirksey has allowed a completion percentage of 77.1 percent on 280 targets for over 2,100 yards, and opposing quarterbacks have a passer rating of 112.8 when throwing his direction per Pro Football Focus.
However, Andy Herman of Packer Report has already taken a look at several Kirksey games from past seasons and although the numbers aren’t pretty, Andy is still encouraged by what he sees from him in coverage:
"“But when I watched Kirksey closely in coverage, you didn’t see a player that could be consistently targeted or picked on. He drops well in zones and reads quarterbacks well. He also has adequate foot speed and isn’t bad in on-one-one situations. Most importantly, when he is targeted and does give up completions, he does a great job of immediately making the tackle to limit yards after catch.”"
As I’ve already said and I’m sure everyone is well aware, priority No. 1 for Kirksey is staying healthy. But if he can, and he regains some of his 2016-2017 form along the way, he will be an upgrade over Martinez. Not to mention that his contract is far cheaper as well.
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Kirksey is a three-down linebacker, who can blitz, fight off blocks, has plenty of experience working in space, and he has some explosiveness to his game to compliment his reliability a tackler. All of those aspects of Kirksey’s game – and more – help create that versatility that Mike Pettine covets and that he says he is brining to Green Bay.