The Green Bay Packers made a pre-training camp extension, but it may not be who many expected.
Rather than a long-awaited major deal for tight end Tucker Kraft or defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt, the Packers offered linebacker Isaiah McDuffie a one-year extension.
Previously, McDuffie entered 2026 on the final year of his existing deal. Now, he’s signed with Green Bay through 2027 with a new deal worth $4.85 million.
McDuffie played for Hafley at Boston College and got more opportunities in Hafley’s 4-3 defense. Under new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon’s 3-4 scheme, many wondered if McDuffie would be a factor.
Now, the soon-to-be 27-year-old linebacker gets the chance to play a valuable backup off-ball linebacker and special teams role under two new coordinators. It’s a solid move for a player who has done well with the chances he’s had and who raises the floor of the roster.
A sixth-round pick in 2021, McDuffie has more than exceeded expectations for a late Day 3 pick. He’s entering his sixth season with the Packers and is coming off two of his most productive years.
When McDuffie’s college head coach came to Green Bay, he brought the first dedicated 4-3 defense to Green Bay in a long while, which was good news for McDuffie. Not only was he familiar with Hafley but he would get more opportunities thanks to a need for more off-ball linebackers on the field.
It led to a surge in defensive snaps for McDuffie, playing a career-high 699 defensive snaps in 2024 and 505 in 2025.
McDuffie isn’t a splash player and may not strike fear into enemy offenses, but that doesn’t mean he’s not a valuable defender.
McDuffie isn’t known for game-changing players, but he’s a plus-defender in the run game. He missed just one run-game tackle in 2025 and puts the effort into cleaning up plays.
Since 2022, his first season playing on defense, McDuffie has missed just one game. And that’s not due to limited usage — he’s played in 16-plus games four times. McDuffie has stayed incredibly healthy and ready for duty despite playing a role with plenty of contact.
McDuffie grew as a defender with more time in the limelight, and the Packers learned to play to his strengths and avoid putting him in difficult situations. McDuffie isn’t a plus in the passing game, which is perhaps why he played fewer snaps in 2025 than in 2024.
With the return to a 3-4, the Packers can continue playing McDuffie in the right situations while Edgerrin Cooper and new addition Zaire Franklin handle the lion’s share of the snaps. Having a reliable backup linebacker with green-dot experience and success in the run game is more than worth the extension.
The inside linebacker group has some concerns. Edgerrin Cooper has the potential to be a star, and we’ve seen hints of what his best looks like, but he needs to put it all together consistently. Zaire Franklin is coming off of his worst season and just turned 30. We still have no idea what Ty’Ron Hopper as a primary defender looks like. There’s plenty of reason for optimism, but McDuffie is a great insurance policy even with his weaknesses.
But perhaps even more importantly is what McDuffie means to special teams.
As a rookie, McDuffie didn’t play a defensive snap but quickly became a major character on special teams. The Packers aren’t known for their special teams success, in the same way that Austin Powers isn’t known for his chastity, but McDuffie was one of the bright spots. It allowed him to survive overhauls to the unit, and he’ll perform for his third special teams coordinator in 2026.
There’s a cautious optimism surrounding Cam Achord, at least for me, thanks to his success in other stops. McDuffie played more special teams snaps than any other Packer last season (302). He was third in tackles (12) and between his health and tackling ability, he was one of the best special teamers Green Bay has. It makes sense to pair the new coordinator with one of the unit’s best players.
All in all, this might not be the most exciting move, but it’s absolutely a good one. McDuffie provides two new coordinators with a reliable role player with veteran experience and a history of availability. That’s an amazing return on a sixth-round pick.
