The Green Bay Packers made nine picks during the 2020 NFL draft and signed several others during college free agency, adding an influx of first-year talent to the roster. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be going through and reviewing the 2020 season for all of the Packers’ rookies.
Next up: linebacker Krys Barnes, the undrafted free agent out of UCLA.
Season stats
In 13 games, including 10 starts, Barnes finished second on the team in combined tackles with 80. He also totaled five tackles for loss, one sack, and one forced fumble. According to Pro Football Focus, Barnes was responsible for five quarterback pressures. However, he missed seven tackles and allowed a passer rating of 110.0 against his coverage.
Snap counts
Barnes played 421 snaps in 2020, which was 41 percent of the total defensive snaps. He contributed some on special teams, playing 89 snaps or 21 percent of the total special teams’ snaps. In total, he rushed the passer 17 times, per PFF. Therefore, Barnes was creating pressure on nearly 30 percent of his reps as a pass rusher. There were two games in which Barnes played over 90 percent of the defensive snaps. In Green Bay’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 8 and their win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 16. He also played 83 snaps in two playoff games.
PFF grade
43.7. Barnes received a below-average grade for the 2020 season. Overall, he finished eighth among rookies in total tackles. His lowest grade was in coverage at 42.8. His highest was in tackling at 70.6.
Best game
Against the Carolina Panthers in Week 15, Barnes had arguably his best game of the season. Despite only playing 31 snaps, he totaled six tackles, three stops, one tackle for loss, and a forced fumble. His forced fumble was a turning point in the game. The Panthers were threatening to score at the one-yard line when quarterback Teddy Bridgewater attempted a quarterback sneak by leaping over the pile. However, Barnes met him at the top and punched the ball out of his hands. Kevin King recovered the fumble and returned it 48 yards.
Season recap, future outlook
As a UDFA, Barnes did not make the initial 53-man roster. However, he was brought back just in time for the season opener against the Vikings and made his first career start. His awareness flashed early on when he blew up a screen that could have resulted in a big gain. He did have a rough outing when he missed three tackles against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6, but he recovered. Up until Week 10, Barnes was a solid contributor to Green Bay’s defense. Barnes then landed on the reserve/COVID-19 list and missed the next three games. He returned to the starting lineup in Week 15 and didn’t miss a start the rest of the season. Overall, Barnes was a pleasant surprise as a rookie. From a UDFA that was cut after training camp, he went on to be one the most productive players on defense. When Christian Kirksey struggled early on, Barnes remained steady. He also did a nice job maintaining the inside linebacker position when Kirksey went on injured reserve. With Kirksey now out of the picture, unless the Packers make some moves this offseason, Barnes and Kamal Martin are set to be the guys holding down inside linebacker in 2021. Barnes is ahead of Martin in his development and could be poised to make a second-year jump. He gets to work with a new defensive coordinator in Joe Barry, who has experience developing inside linebackers. Barnes projects to be a solid MIKE linebacker for Green Bay’s defense for the foreseeable future. The game will start to slow down for him pretty soon, and he should start to become more of a difference-maker. We should also start to see some improvements in coverage. His instincts and athleticism give Barry something to work with in crafting a quality starting inside linebacker.
Season grade
The expectation was low for Barnes after he signed just days before the start of the regular season. However, he quickly showed he belonged on the 53-man roster. Barnes showed natural instincts and strong tackling. Barnes wasn’t prone to missed tackles, and he was almost always around the ball when the play was finished. Overall, Barnes is a good athlete that can play all three downs, but he needs more time to improve his mental processing to make quicker reads. If Barnes is the full-time starter in 2021, the Packers’ defense will be just fine. Last season, he had minimal mistakes and flashed solid playmaking. You could make a strong argument that he was a good find by Green Bay after the draft. His ceiling may not be very high, but his floor is higher than most UDFA inside linebackers. Going forward, he will need to continue to make strides in his development to prove he can lead a winning defense. Season grade: B-
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