GREEN BAY – The Packers welcomed a new veteran outside linebacker to their pass rush in 2017 with the signing of two-time All-Pro Ahmad Brooks on Sunday.
The 11th-year veteran, who has played most of his career in a 3-4 defense, brings experience and depth to Green Bay, where he'll join the edge-rushing tandem of Clay Matthews and Nick Perry.
Brooks has played in 120 of a possible 128 regular-season games over the last eight seasons, recording 333 tackles, 51½ sacks, 11 forced fumbles and three interceptions during that stretch.
The 33-year-old outside linebacker had at least five sacks during each of those eight seasons, tying for the San Francisco team lead with six in 2016. Brooks' release comes on the heels of the 49ers transitioning from a 3-4 to 4-3 defense under new coach Kyle Shanahan.
Brooks, who has played the Packers five times in his career, visited Green Bay prior to signing. When asked about the 6-foot-4, 259-pound veteran, Packers associate head coach/linebackers coach Winston Moss spoke highly of Brooks' resume.
"Tough. Tough. Physically imposing," said Moss during the most recent media availability with the Packers' defensive coaching staff. "A rusher. He can play very well versus the run. He can play stout versus the tight end. He can do everything that we would ask him to do in our scheme.
"He can play to the tight end side or the open end side. He can play the outside linebacker position. He can play the elephant. If he were to be placed on our roster … he could come right in and fit right in."
See headshots and action shots of the complete Green Bay Packers 2017 roster
2 — K Mason Crosby
2 — K Mason Crosby
6 — QB Joe Callahan
6 — QB Joe Callahan
7 — QB Brett Hundley
7 — QB Brett Hundley
8 — P Justin Vogel
8 — P Justin Vogel
11 — WR Trevor Davis
11 — WR Trevor Davis
17 — WR Davante Adams
17 — WR Davante Adams
18 — WR Randall Cobb
18 — WR Randall Cobb
21 — S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
21 — S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
22 — FB Aaron Ripkowski
22 — FB Aaron Ripkowski
23 — CB Damarious Randall
23 — CB Damarious Randall
25 — S Marwin Evans
25 — S Marwin Evans
27 — S Josh Jones
27 — S Josh Jones
28 — CB Josh Hawkins
28 — CB Josh Hawkins
30 — RB Jamall Williams
30 — RB Jamall Williams
31 — CB Davon House
31 — CB Davon House
32 — RB Devante Mays
32 — RB Devante Mays
33 — RB Aaron Jones
32 — RB Devante Mays
35 — S Jermaine Whitehead
35 — S Jermaine Whitehead
41 — CB Lenzy Pipkins
41 — CB Lenzy Pipkins
42 — S Morgan Burnett
42 — S Morgan Burnett
44 — CB Donatello Brown
44 — CB Donatello Brown
47 — LB Jake Ryan
47 — LB Jake Ryan
48 — LB Joe Thomas
48 — LB Joe Thomas
50 — LB Blake Martinez
50 — LB Blake Martinez
51 — LB Kyler Fackrell
51 — LB Kyler Fackrell
52 — LB Clay Matthews
52 — LB Clay Matthews
54 — C Dillon Day
54 — C Dillon Day
55 - LB Ahmad Brooks
55 - LB Ahmad Brooks
61 — LS Brett Goode
61 — LS Brett Goode
62 — G Lucas Patrick
62 — G Lucas Patrick
63 — C Corey Linsley
63 — C Corey Linsley
64 — G Justin McCray
64 — G Justin McCray
65 — G Lane Taylor
65 — G Lane Taylor
69 — T David Bakhtiari
69 — T David Bakhtiari
73 — G Jahri Evans
73 — G Jahri Evans
74 — T Ulrick John
74 — T Ulrick John
76 — DT Mike Daniels
76 — DT Mike Daniels
77 — G/T Adam Pankey
77 — G/T Adam Pankey
81 — WR Geronimo Allison
81 — WR Geronimo Allison
82 — TE Richard Rodgers
82 — TE Richard Rodgers
83 — WR Jeff Janis
83 — WR Jeff Janis
84 — TE Lance Kendricks
84 — TE Lance Kendricks
86 - TE Emanuel Byrd
86 - TE Emanuel Byrd
87 — WR Jordy Nelson
87 — WR Jordy Nelson
89 — WR Michael Clark
89 — WR Michael Clark
90 — DT Montravius Adams
90 — DT Montravius Adams
91 — DT Quinton Dial
91 — DT Quinton Dial
93 — LB Reggie Gilbert
93 — LB Reggie Gilbert
94 — DE Dean Lowry
94 — DE Dean Lowry
97 — DT Kenny Clark
97 — DT Kenny Clark
98 — LB Chris Odom
98 — LB Chris Odom
There's sound logic behind Moss' words with similarities between the scheme Dom Capers runs in Green Bay and the system in which Brooks thrived under former 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who previously served in the same capacity when Capers was the head coach in Carolina (1995-98) and Houston (2002-05).
Brooks, who joins his former 49ers teammate Ricky Jean Francois in Green Bay, is the sixth vested veteran the Packers have signed outside of the organization this year.
The Packers like their holdings at outside linebacker behind Matthews and Perry, but injuries have muddied the forecast in recent weeks.
Rookie fourth-round pick Vince Biegel (foot) missed all of training camp on the physically unable to perform list and Jayrone Elliott dealt with back spasms before being traded to Dallas Sunday. Matthews (groin tightness) and Perry (ankle) also dropped out of the 20-17 preseason loss in Denver for precautionary reasons.
While neither injury is considered long-term, the Packers found Brooks to be an attractive option to fill the experience void left by the departure of Julius Peppers and Datone Jones in free agency earlier this year. In addition to Brooks, the Packers added another outside linebacker Sunday, claiming Chris Odom off waivers from Atlanta.
Peppers, who was 34 when he signed with the Packers in March 2014, didn't miss a game in his three seasons in Green Bay, tallying 104 tackles, 25 sacks, 14 pass deflections and 10 forced fumbles.
A third-round pick by Cincinnati in the 2006 NFL Supplemental Draft, Brooks will now look to be the next established veteran to find success in Green Bay's defense.
