It appears the Green Bay Packers are going to allow one of their best pass rushers from last season in the form of Julius Peppers to join another team. That means there is an opening on the roster and former Eagle Connor Barwin might fill that slot.
Reports have been circulating that Green Bay has talked to the defender who could fill the role Peppers leaves behind quite admirably. Now the question is whether or not the Green Bay Packers are going to want to pay whatever Barwin is asking from teams.
Packers aren't the only team after Barwin
If there is one thing the Lambeau crew likes to have on its roster, it's a pass rusher who isn't going to break the bank.
In that regard, it certainly seems as though Connor Barwin would fit the bill.
While he was once considered one of the better defenders in the league, age has made him mostly a pass rushing specialist. He's coming off a rather down year in Philly a year ago. Barwin recorded just 34 tackles and five sacks. The tackles numbers were a career low. Green Bay is likely hoping those low numbers will keep what he is asking to a minimum. If he can find a little extra in the tank, the signing could be a steal for the Pack.
The Green Packers would be downgrading their defense a bit
Even if Connor Barwin could find a little extra boost and get back where he was a few years ago as a pass rusher, it seems as if the Packers would be downgrading a bit.
Julius Peppers, who appears ready to join his old team in the Carolina Panthers, seems to never really see much of a drop-off when it comes to sacking the quarterback.
The Packers are largely fine with Peppers heading to another team because of his age and presumably because he was very much on the fence as to whether or not he would be returning this season.
As 247Sports points out, one of the reasons Barwin might have seen a drop-off in his own production was because he moved from outside linebacker to defensive end. If Green Bay is able to sign Barwin, it will be interesting to see where they choose to play him.
