I have been singing the praises of Warren Brinson ever since he was drafted as a Green Bay Packer. Go back and check the tape on the Kip and Chip’s Sports Podcast if you don’t believe me. I remember saying the value selections in this year’s class I was most excited for were Barryn Sorrel and Warren Brinson. If you would have forced me to pick just 1 of those guys I think I would have chosen Brinson. I was a huge fan of Brinson pre-draft and getting him in the 6th round felt like highway robbery to me. Now, I am pumped to say that Brinson is ready to help the Green Bay Packers win.
If anybody out there is laughing at me for getting overly excited about a day 3 pick, here is my response:
Romeo Doubs, Zach Tom, Evan Williams, Rasheed Walker, Dontayvion Wicks, Karl Brooks, Isaiah McDuffie, Kingsley Enagbare and Carrington Valentine.
A good chunk of this current team is built on the success of homegrown day 3 picks. That has been the Green Bay Packers philosophy for years. They have consistently found contributors late in the draft, and it’s my opinion Warren Brinson is going to be next on that list.
Here are some of my thoughts on Brinson written as part of a post draft report in May.
Brinson is long and strong. His arm length/wingspan is one of the measurables that attracted teams to him. He’s got the ability to long arm lineman like he’s a boxer, but he also packs real punch. He’s got true knockback power in his hands. Now at 6’4” 315 he is a little lanky for the position. He’s not necessarily the absolute strongest player you’ll see, but he’s explosive. 31 inch vertical at the combine is a key number for him. That is a freaky explosive jump for someone his size and you see that explosiveness when he gets off the snap on film. He uses that explosion, his long arms, and all the strength he has to get lineman on their heels really quick, and he does it quite consistently. On tape, whenever the offense tried to block him 1v.1 they failed. It doesn’t matter if he was trying to hold his ground in the run game, penetrate for a TFL or pressure the QB, Brinson was very very disruptive when only blocked 1v.1.
I really think Warren Brinson has the makings of a diamond in the rough for the Packers. He’s got all the size measurables, athletic traits and a great personality as a locker room guy. He was a very good to elite run defender while only ever getting moved off his spot when double teamed. He flashes potential as a pass rusher, and is coming off an injury riddled season that caused his stock to drop. He played his best football in 2023. More than anything though, Brinson shows consistent disruption on film. He’s playing in the SEC against the best O lineman colleges have to offer, but he is still consistently winning down to down. This is the exact type of guy I’d want to roll the dice on in the late rounds, and I am still blown away that he was available at this point.
Now, after a weird start to Warren Brinson’s pro career, we finally got to see him on an NFL field. As you might have expected, I kept an extra close eye on each of Brinson’s reps. After watching it back again this week, I am happy to say that I am feeling pretty vindicated! Brinson was great! I should note I am not the only one who felt this way, Brinson was PFF’s highest graded Green Bay Packer last week.
This is the exact type of quick win Brinson showed consistently in college. This was Brinson’s first ever snap in the NFL and it was nearly his first career sack.
Here Brinson shows his ability to put lineman back on their heels with his initial punch. This is great interior pressure.
I believe Brinson can be a consistent contributor on this defense. The truth is that the Green Bay Packers really need him to be just that. With the absence of Devonte Wyatt and the early season struggles of Nazir Stackhouse, Warren Brinson becomes the no. 3 DT on this roster. That is one of the most important backup positions on this team.
Watching back the second half of the Bengals game, I was surprised by how little the defensive tackles rotated. Colby Wooden and Karl Brooks started the game and played a HUGE majority of the snaps. They rarely got a break and when they did, it was only for a snap or two. Towards the end of long drives you could just see their fatigue. Wooden and Brooks were pretty worn down by the end of that second half.
Warren Brinson’s emergence couldn’t come at a better time. The Green Bay Packers have been missing Devonte Wyatt’s consistent interior pressure since he left the Cowboys game. The defense truly hasn’t been the same without Wyatt. Brinson is ready to help fill a small part of that void and give Brooks/Wooden more time to rest. Look for him to take more snaps this week and continue to make an impact in a limited role.
Long story short, I am buying all of the Warren Brinson stock that I can possibly get my hands on.
