Another linebacker, another challenge for Martinez

With the school year starting on Tuesday, it’s perhaps fitting that Professor Martinez has a new student to tutor.

On Monday, the Green Bay Packers acquired inside linebacker B.J. Goodson in a trade with the New York Giants. Goodson, a 13-game starter last season, will provide badly needed experience at a position group that had almost none aside from starter Blake Martinez.

Last year, the Packers traded for inside linebacker Antonio Morrison on Aug. 26. Fourteen days later, Morrison played 11 defensive snaps alongside Martinez in the season-opening game against Chicago.

Video: Pettine talks new linebacker, playing safety at linebacker

“I hope he picks it up quickly but if I need to help him out early on, I’ll be there,” Martinez said after Monday’s practice. “It’s kind of like last year with Morrison. I’ll help him get him acclimated and then, from there, just keep growing our relationship.”

Martinez is right in that it’s only “kind of” like last year’s crash course with Morrison. With Goodson, the timeline is much tighter. The Packers and Bears will kick off this season on Thursday. It’s improbable – and perhaps even impossible – that Goodson could contribute on defense in Chicago, but the Week 2 game against Minnesota is only a dozen days away.

“It all depends on how well he picks stuff up,” Martinez said. “It’s going to be one of those things that will be a day-by-day process.”

Also last season, the Packers signed safety Ibraheim Campbell on Nov. 2. Less than two weeks later, he played 13 snaps – mostly as a linebacker alongside Martinez – at Seattle. The following week, Campbell started and played 53 snaps.

Goodson’s proximity to Martinez will help.

“For the most part, I can communicate with him,” Martinez said. “I’ve done it before with new guys coming in. Whether it’s a safety, linebacker, outside linebacker – whoever it is, I trust myself to be able to communicate what we’re doing.”

Before the trade, the two backups – James Crawford and rookie Ty Summers – had a combined one snap of regular-season experience on defense. To make room for Goodson, the Packers released Crawford, so the Packers are more experienced but not any deeper.

In time, Goodson should be able to help, though Summers and safety Raven Greene figure to be on the field with Martinez at Chicago.

“It’s always dependent on the player, their experience, what they’ve played in,” defensive coordinator Mike Pettine said. “If the player has played in your system before, then obviously he’d be much quicker up to speed. Just in general, it would be rare that you would give a player a lot on their plate. It would be more of a package or situational thing, stuff that you felt comfortable putting him out there.”

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