Makeover at Linebacker Continues as Jamari Lattimore Signs with Jets

Lattimore joins A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones as linebackers that have departed from Green Bay this offseason.

New York Jets linebacker Jamari Lattimore—Andrew Weber, USA TODAY Sports.

New York Jets linebacker Jamari Lattimore—Andrew Weber, USA TODAY Sports.

The transformation at the inside linebacker position continues in Green Bay as the Packers parted ways with the third player at the position this offseason.

Jamari Lattimore signed with the New York Jets, the team announced on Wednesday. He joins A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones as members of the inside linebacker corps that have departed Titletown in the past two months.

After spending four years in Green Bay from 2011 to 2014, Lattimore was an unrestricted free agent, allowed to sign with any team he wanted.

The Packers didn't appear to make much of an effort to re-sign Lattimore based on the roughly three weeks time that elapsed since the opening of free agency.

Lattimore originally came to Green Bay as an unrestricted free agent out of Middle Tennessee State, beginning his professional career as an inside linebacker.

Like Brad Jones before him, Lattimore was shifted to inside linebacker after two years. In four years, he started nine of 49 games, making 85 tackles, two sacks and one interception for the Packers.

All nine of Lattimore's starts came in the past two seasons, but he never could keep a full-time grip on the job. His 2014 season ended on injured reserve after 11 games with an ankle injury.

Lattimore's biggest role arguably came on special teams, where he made 19 tackles on that unit in his four seasons. He was voted a postseason captain by his teammates in 2012, representing the special teams.

Details of Lattimore's contract have not yet been made public. Last year, he signed a one-year tender offer from the Packers worth $1.4 million.

If Lattimore signed for enough money and sees enough playing time, it's possible he could qualify for the league's compensatory draft pick formula, netting the Packers an extra selection.

Lattimore would probably have to come close to a deal nearing $1 million or more to qualify.

The inside linebacker situation in Green Bay remains one of uncertainty. Clay Matthews brought stability to the position, but it remains to be seen whether the Packers are willing to play him there full-time or continue in a timeshare at outside linebacker.

Sam Barrington is the only other experienced option at the position. Other possibilities include outside linebacker converts such as Carl Bradford and Nate Palmer, each of whom made the conversion to the position late in training camp last year.

Practice squad linebacker Joe Thomas also comes back for another season.

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Comments (8)

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HankScorpio's picture

April 01, 2015 at 07:07 pm

Good luck to Lattimore in NY. I had some hopes for him but it just didn't pan out. I hope the fresh start works to his benefit.

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@ballark's picture

April 01, 2015 at 07:14 pm

The crazy thing here is what Brian mentions at the end of the article, and it's nuts. That Matthews (our best OLB) and Barrington, a guy with half a year of experience is all we got at ILB. Behind them,. Bradford, Palmer, and Joe Thomas. That's it.

On the flipside, the other certainty is that Ted always has a plan. So the fact that Jamari, while not a star, but a guy who certainly contributed, was allowed to walk, that says.....something (I have no idea what).

So here's my question: if the situation holds, is it crazy to think the Packers draft an ILB at 30 and then grab another in the 2nd? I wouldn't complain.

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4thand1's picture

April 01, 2015 at 08:15 pm

What it says to me is, they got rid of all the dead weight at ILB. Expect to see a rookie there with fire this year.

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Brandon Piccione's picture

April 01, 2015 at 10:08 pm

If nothing else this will force mccarthys hand. He has a tendency to be loyal to a fault with his players. Had Hawk, Lattimore, and Jones not been on the team last year, McCarthy and company would have had to experiment earlier, with better results

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@ballark's picture

April 01, 2015 at 07:16 pm

I keep laughing, thinking of the Packers ILBs at camp like that scene in Major League when all the guys show up in spring training.

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EdsLaces's picture

April 01, 2015 at 08:15 pm

What league were u in? California penal.

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Brandon Piccione's picture

April 01, 2015 at 10:09 pm

Well Brad Jones played a decent amount last year, so anything is an upgrade. Playing with ten defenders would have yielded better results.

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Irish_Cheesehead's picture

April 02, 2015 at 07:54 am

We're losing a lot of special teams guys. I'm worried our special teams is going to be horrible. Oh wait... they were already horrible.

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