The majority of free agent signings in late March will not be huge, glamorous, or exciting names. On Friday, the Green Bay Packers signed a player who would most likely earn the league minimum if he makes the team in 2025 and is unlikely to pique Packers fans’ interest.
However, Kristian Welch is a name that avid Packers fans should be familiar with, and the linebacker’s return to Green Bay should be welcomed.
On Friday afternoon, the Packers announced Welch’s deal, bringing back one of the team’s most impressive players from the 2024 preseason.
After spending the 2023 season in Green Bay as a major special teams contributor, Welch did everything he could to gain a spot on the 53-man roster in August. In the Packers’ three preseason games, he led the club with 16 tackles, two interceptions, and one fumble recovery. However, with two top-100 rookie draft picks on the roster (Edgerrin Cooper and Ty’Ron Hopper), Welch found himself on the outside looking in on final cutdown day.
Two days later, the Denver Broncos signed Welch to their roster, and he played six games for Sean Payton’s club before being released in midseason.
He then joined the Baltimore Ravens’ practice squad in October, receiving three gameday promotions before being elevated to the active roster in late November.
Welch appeared in 15 games last season, logging 53 defensive snaps and 285 special teams snaps for those two franchises, while also recording 13 total tackles.
In all likelihood, Hopper’s draft pick cost Welch his job with the Packers last October. His strong summer efforts suggested that he could be a valuable depth linebacker in addition to a key special teamer. Hopper, meanwhile, played only 18 defensive snaps for Green Bay (all at the end of blowouts) and had less special teams snaps (215) than Welch.
With Eric Wilson joining with the Minnesota Vikings this summer, Welch has an opportunity to make the squad and get considerable playing time. Last season, Wilson played 321 special teams snaps and more than 550 defensive snaps. Cooper appears to be a cinch to be an every-down linebacker next to Quay Walker, dominating that portion of defensive snaps, but Welch should have another shot this summer to show that he deserves a depth and special teams role on the Packers’ roster in 2025.
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