Green Bay Packers Release Injured Brandon Chillar

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Brandon Chillar
After reporting to camp with a hamstring injury, Brandon Chillar has reportedly been released by the Packers.

According to a tweet by Tom Silverstein of the Milwauke Journal-Sentinel, the Green Bay Packers have released inside linebacker Brandon Chillar. This report comes merely a day after news that he suffered a “serious hamstring injury” in the offseason. Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com also reported yesterday that the Packers intended to release Chillar but wasn’t given the news when Brady Poppinga and Justin Harrell were informed of their fate.

At the end of 2009, Chillar signed a four-year contract extension worth $19 million. Unfortunately, he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury at the end of November last season.

The release of Chillar clears $1.8 million in salary cap money.

This news puts the Packers into a slight predicament at the inside linebacker position. With the reports of Nick Barnett’s pending departure, the loss of Chillar would mean having zero veteran back-ups to A.J. Hawk and Desmond Bishop. The only exception would be if they signed free agent Matt Wilhelm to a new contract.

Ted Thompson could still keep Barnett on the roster and perhaps try to re-work his contract. He might also look into picking up a veteran free agent off the market, though at this point, it’s tough to say what kind of talent is still available for negotiations. The answer to this dilemma is unclear, but someone will probably need to be found soon.

As far as Brandon Chillar is concerned, he might have a hard time finding a new team to pick him up with his current contract and injury status. His time with the Packers has been decent yet unspectacular, and he might have already hit his peak as a player.

We’ll continue to monitor the situation at the now-thin inside linebacker position.

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Chad Toporski, a Wisconsin native and current Pittsburgh resident, is a writer for AllGreenBayPackers.com. You can follow Chad on twitter at @ChadToporski

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12 thoughts on “Green Bay Packers Release Injured Brandon Chillar

  1. It is sure beginning to look like that anyone who finished the year on IR is expendable (except Grant that is). Chillar’s body was his worst enemy. He was top heavy. Big upper body on skinny throughbred legs. Hope this doesn’t mean Finley is going to follow this trend.

  2. The players getting released share something besides finishing last year on IR — They all have 2011 contract numbers far in excess of their proven production. The only released player that might not fir is Barnett, but there the $$$ are very questionable for someone who will likely be a backup.

  3. wow, there goes a lot of depth on the inside in one week. poppinga and chillar were probably the two worst contracts handed out by TT. hopefully one of the rookies looks good in the pre-season. chillar would show flashes of great athleticism, but if you cannot stay on the field you are no good to anyone.

    1. the depth on the inside and poppinga are not related…just to clarify. chillar’s contract seemed like a bad deal as soon as i heard about it.

  4. I still think even with Chillar gone they still release or trade Barnett . But i think that if the pack where to sign another teams free agent it will be a MLB? Does anyone know if there is any good TT type MLB to chase?

  5. At this point I have to believe that the Packers release Barnett and then immediately go after him at a lower price. Barnett can be a starter and now they don’t have the benefit of Desmond Bishop waiting in the wings.

    1. Thomas, could you please clarify:

      Are you stating that the Packers would then bench AJ hawk, the guy they just made the highest paid LB on the team, and give Barnett, signed to a new, cap-friendly contract, Hawk’s old job?

      If so, I don’t see AJ Hawk being too pleased, and while starting might be what Barnett wants, I can’t imagine after suffering the indignity of being cut on his first day back in GB that he’s going to sign any cap-friendly contract that GB offers him… only after they are “desperate” at the position.

      Am I missing something?

      1. The similarity I was drawing on was that Hawk and Barnett both had contracts that were unfavorable to the Packers. So if Barnett doesn’t receive much notice during free agency, then Thompson should try to go out and get Barnett at a backup level contract. Keep in mind Barnett is not exactly a hot commodity, so if the Packers offer him a reasonable contract he might come back

  6. I wonder if they’re considering BJones as an ILB. By moving him inside it would loosen up the log-jam a bit at OLB opposite CM3.

  7. Brad Jones shouldn’t play on the inside….too wiry for a 3-4 MLB. This makes DJ Smith that much more important. Francois and Briggs also have a chance at becoming the main backup. Both were suited up in the Super Bowl and deep in the playoffs. 3rd and 3 vs. the Bears….just before the Shields INT……Bishop made a great tackle behind the Line of Scrimmage….it was Francois that made a great push and made the WR change his route on the reverse.

    1. I do believe JohnBlood27 and yourself have the right idea about Robert Francois.. It’s just exactly what the Packers do. Take the guy who’s been with the team, whom they’ve coached up, and plug him into the hole in the roster.

      They’ve had a few years to get a feel for Francois, he knows the system, and he did show signs of making strides towards becoming a capable player in the NFL. Pretty sure TT has got to be thinking about bring Francois into camp right now and we’re going to see him get every opportunity to make the final 53.

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