The Green Bay Packers believe free-agent addition Christian Kirksey was worth the risk associated with the veteran linebacker after he missed 23 games to injury during the last two seasons.
Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettine said the team weighed the risk factors on the injury side against all the positives of Kirksey as a player and leader and determined signing him to a two-year deal was the right move.
“Very excited about the signing,” Pettine said during a conference call with reporters on Friday. “Just going through the medical part of it, and talking to our people, they didn’t think it was anything long term, and he’s never been a guy that’s been injury prone. Obviously, that’s a concern when you see the amount of time he’s missed, but overall, it’s a great signing for us for a lot of reasons.”
Kirksey, who spent his first six seasons with the Cleveland Browns, suffered a season-ending hamstring injury and missed nine games in 2018. A year later, he played in just two games before needing season-ending surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder. Altogether, Kirksey missed 23 of a possible 32 games, prompting the Browns to release him.
However, Kirksey played all 64 possible games during his first four NFL seasons and was healthy throughout his four years at Iowa.
The Packers think they’ve bargain shopped for a difference-making player who is both a leader in the locker room and a veteran of Pettine’s defense. Kirksey, a third-round pick of the Browns in 2014, played two years (2014-15) under Pettine, then the head coach in Cleveland.
“We’re not just bringing a really good player into the room, but this is a guy that has great leadership ability,” Pettine said. “He already has a head start on learning the system with him being drafted when I was in Cleveland. Certainly, it’s a risk when you look at it, but it was a risk we were more than willing to take. We’re excited about it.”
Kirksey is expected to replace Blake Martinez, who signed a new deal with the New York Giants, as the Packers’ top inside linebacker.
Over his first four seasons in the NFL, Kirksey produced 269 tackles, 27 tackles for losses, 11.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and 11 pass breakups.
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