A Closer Look at Green Bay Packers UDFA LB Caliph Brice
By Paul Bretl
In this series, I have been taking a look a much closer look at each of the Green Bay Packers’ 14 UDFA signings. We are now onto linebacker Caliph Brice from Florida Atlantic.
In these articles, I take a look at the current state of that specific position on the Packers roster, what you need to know about the UDFA’s college career, and lastly, what the pre-draft scouting report has to say.
If you’ve missed any of the other deep dives, you can find them here:
The current state of the Green Bay Packers linebacker position
After years — and I mean years — of the Green Bay Packers failing to invest heavily into the linebacker position, whether that be free agency dollars or draft capital, they double-dipped at the need twice this offseason.
First, the Packers would sign De’Vondre Campbell to a five-year $50 million extension. Followed by Green Bay spending a first-round pick on Quay Walker. With the ability that both Campbell and Walker have to effectively play the run as well as the pass, this will allow the Packers to stay in their base nickel defense much more frequently, which also means they won’t need to rely on a third safety nearly as often.
It goes without saying, but Campbell and Walker are going to take the bulk of the snaps at the linebacker position; however, Krys Barnes provides some experience and additional help if needed against the run or short yardage situations–not to mention that Barnes should be a core special teams player as well.
But after those three, the depth chart becomes a bit uncertain. For starters, are the Green Bay Packers going to keep four linebackers or five? For reference, they did keep five a season ago. Ultimately, those final roster spots are likely going to be determined by special teams play more than anything else.
Competing for those final roster opening(s) will be Isaiah McDuffie, Ty Summers, perhaps Tyriq Carpenter if he is classified as a linebacker, Ray Wilborn, Ellis Brooks, and Caliph Brice.
Caliph Brice’s college career
Brice has three years of playing experience at FAU, totaling 950 career snaps, with the bulk of them — 471 snaps in 2020 and 348 snaps in 2021 — coming over the last two seasons. He would miss three games in 2021 because of an injury.
As primarily a box defender, Brice recorded 16 pressures and a pair of sacks between the 2020 and 2021 seasons, along with 38 total stops. In coverage, he allowed 24 completions on 29 targets but held opponents to 9.0 yards per catch, including only 7.4 this past year.
By PFF’s grading system, Brice was the 49th ranked linebacker against the run in 2021, and he would rank 26th overall as a pass rusher. I’ll also note that while he did struggle a bit as a tackler this previous season — missing 15% of his attempts — Brice was very sound during the 2019 and 2020 seasons, missing only three of his 79 total attempts.
Brice was on the field for 188 career special teams snaps but only 35 in 2021. This is something that will have to change–as mentioned above, special teams play is going to be crucial for this Packers’ linebacker position.
From a size and athleticism standpoint, Brice measures in at just over 6’1″ and weighs 233 pounds. He posted an impressive 4.61-second 40-time — and that straight line speed will come in handy on special teams — as well as elite scores in the vertical and broad jumps. However, he did test poorly in the agility drills, which brought down his RAS to 7.20.
What the pre-draft scouting report says
Pro Football Network
"“Caliph Brice tested with a 4.61 40-yard dash, a 37.5″ vertical, and a 126″ broad jump at 6’1 1/2″, 233 pounds,” wrote Ian Cummings. “The explosiveness, at the very least, does show up. He can gear up quickly and carry that momentum into contact. But unfortunately, Brice’s subpar agility testing was also validated by tape. He was stiff in open space and didn’t play up to his 40 time."