It came as a shock to lots of Packers fans on Tuesday around lunch time when news broke that the Packers had decided to release 2020 5th round LB Kamal Martin from the roster. 

There was a part of me that was wondering if he would make the 2021 roster, but I in no way expected for him to not make the 80 man roster cut.

Not only has he been dealing with injuries, but the Packers had also been testing him out at OLB. This was perplexing to me because I don’t see why you would try him out at a new position unless you thought his role at inside linebacker could be no longer. 

In a press conference yesterday Matt Lafleur talked about the decision to release Kamal,

“Unfortunately we’re at the spot now where we have to make some tough decisions. Kamal was a great teammate and did everything we asked him to do. Sometimes you’ve got to make some tough decisions.”

He was then asked if the knee injury that forced him to miss the first 6 weeks of the 2021 NFL season was a factor that led to this decision. This is what Lafleur had to say,

“I think that certainly was a challenge for him. I think it’s also a credit to the other guys in the room to be able to kind of keep him off the field because you are right, he is a big long physical athlete that can really run and he’s a great kid, great person. That was one of the tougher ones we had to make in the 2 years here.”

Now with Kamal Martin gone here are the players competing for the inside linebacker spots: 

De’vondre Campbell, Krys Barnes, Oren Burks,Ty Summers, Isaiah Mcduffie, De’Jon Harris, and Ray Wilborn. 

The top 2 spots are secure with Campbell and Barnes, and with Oren Burks and Ty Summers showing some improvement it means that Kamal Martin has been pushed out of Green Bay.

It’s sad to see a guy go who just one year ago played 190 snaps for the Packers defense, but hopefully he’ll get an opportunity elsewhere to become a great inside linebacker in the NFL.