De'Vondre Campbell (William Glasheen/USA Today Sports Images)
25 Days Until Training Camp: Campbell’s Tackling
GREEN BAY, Wis. – As part of De’Vondre Campbell’s All-Pro debut season with the Green Bay Packers in 2021, he finished seventh in the NFL with 145 tackles and, among the 54 linebackers who played at least 650 defensive snaps, first with four missed tackles.
Taken together, Campbell also led the NFL’s linebackers with a missed-tackle rate of 2.8 percent, according to Pro Football Focus. Along with two interceptions, two forced fumbles and five passes defensed, it was a banner season that made him worthy of a five-year, $50 million contract in free agency.
Campbell wasn’t nearly as good in 2022. That is illustrated with missed tackles. Even while missing four games with a knee injury, Campbell missed 11 tackles. Out of 52 linebackers who played at least 650 defensive snaps, his missed-tackle rate of 10.1 percent ranked 25th at PFF.
His rebound, which will start with the first practice of Packers training camp in 25 days, will be a critical component in Green Bay’s defense playing to its potential and helping the team rebound into the playoffs in Year 1 with Jordan Love at quarterback.
Was Campbell due for regression after a career season? Probably. He’d always been a productive player and quality tackler, but never to his 2021 level of dominance.
Who knows how his season would have turned out without the injury, though. Campbell dominated the Commanders in Week 7 with 12 tackles, three tackles for losses and one interception. In Week 8 at Buffalo, Campbell sustained a knee injury that kept him out of four games. His return to the lineup marked the Packers’ return as contenders.
Back in action for Week 14 at Chicago, Campbell had 10 tackles. Two weeks later, he intercepted a pass at Miami. He added eight tackles in a Week 17 romp against Minnesota and seven tackles in the season-ending loss to Detroit.
In those five games, when the defense came together and almost led a remarkable rally into the playoffs, Campbell had 32 tackles. He missed only one. That missed-tackle rate was 3.0 percent, right in line with his All-Pro season. Had he tackled to that level all season, his missed-tackle rate would have been beaten only by the Rams' Bobby Wagner (2.9 percent).
“When he came back, you saw a difference. We obviously started to play pretty well as a group,” linebackers coach Kirk Olivadotti said at the start of OTAs. “Every year’s going to be a little bit different. I do think that moving forward he’s in a pretty good spot right now, which is encouraging. He’s excited and ready to go this year.
“Really, with a veteran guy, you don’t necessarily have to look at everything as much as far as technique and all those kinds of things go. We’re looking at some stuff preparation-wise that we can do differently. We’ve jumped some of those hurdles already.”
Countdown to Packers Training Camp
26 days until training camp: Big question at safety
26 days until training camp: The key to the defense is No. 26
27 days until training camp: Big question at inside linebacker
27 days until training camp: 27 sources of inspiration
28 days until training camp: Big question at outside linebacker
28 days until training camp: At least they’re consistent
29 days until training camp: Big question at defensive line
29 days: Keisean Nixon’s surprise stardom
30 days until training camp: Big question at offensive line
30 days until training camp: 30th in key defensive stat
31 days until training camp: Big question at tight end
31 days until training camp: A killer No. 31 ranking
32 days until training camp: Big question at receiver
32 days until training camp: 32nd-ranked receivers
33 days until training camp: Big question at running back
33 days until training camp: No. 33, Aaron Jones, is a great player
