Karl Brooks enters a pivotal fourth season, providing the Green Bay Packers' defensive front with essential versatility and veteran depth.
We're officially 33 days from the start of the 2026 NFL season for the Green Bay Packers. Whether you're ready or not, football season is here.
The Packers kick off their 2026 season against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, Sept. 13, from U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Talk about pressure. The Vikings are certainly in a transitional place as a franchise, but getting going against an NFC North foe ratchets up the intensity of this season from the get-go.
It's a big season for the Packers. There's a belief that they're in a Super Bowl window right now, which means every single game is important. That means the intensity will be there in Week 2 at MetLife Stadium against the New York Jets and it will certainly be there in Week 3 against the Atlanta Falcons, when the Packers will play at Lambeau Field for the first time in 2026.
There's going to be a lot of proverbial ink spilled on this 2026 season and we here at PackersRoundtable hope that you spend as much time as possible with us talking about the ins and outs and ups and downs of the Packers.
As we prepare for the 2026 season, though, we're going to kick things off with a rankings series looking at the Top 50 Packers heading into the 2025 season.
At No. 33, we have defensive lineman Karl Brooks
Ranking the Top 50 Packers Heading Into 2026: No. 33, Karl Brooks
Oct 13, 2024; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Karl Brooks (94) celebrates a touchdown in the second half against the Arizona Cardinals at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images.Karl Brooks is an intriguing player for the Green Bay Packers. He's not an overly flashy player. He's certainly not the biggest at 6-foot-3, 296 pounds. He's certainly not the fastest, and he doesn't have the best college pedigree.
The Packers' defensive line is jam-packed with dudes who played SEC football. Many came from the Georgia Bulldogs, which has consistently boasted one of the best defensive line rooms in college football for years now. No, Brooks played for Bowling Green, and the Packers selected him in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
And yet, here he is, entering his fourth season in the league and fourth season with the Packers.
Brooks is extremely versatile. He can play as a traditional defensive tackle but he's also athletic enough to kick out to defensive end. He can get after the quarterback a little bit, but he can also hold his own against the run.
He's not flashy, but he's a consistent backup defensive lineman, and that's an important player to have in today's NFL. He's notched eight sacks, 11 tackles for loss and 16 quarterback hits in 50 games played so far for the Packers.
The only issue is that 7.5 of those sacks came in his first two seasons. Last season was a bit of a dip for Brooks as he was thrust into the starting role when Devonte Wyatt suffered a season-ending knee injury.
More snaps did not equal more success for Brooks, which would lead one to believe that he's better suited as a complementary piece on the defensive line.
2025 Synopsis:
In 16 games played with seven starts, Brooks secured 20 tackles (one tackle for loss), five quarterback hits, one pass defended, half a sack (one according to PFF) and 25 total pressures as a pass-rusher.
Notable Quotables:
"The former sixth rounder was never supposed to be a load-bearer for the Packers. He was best used as a rotational, pass rushing defensive tackle as a rookie, and the data suggests he would be better off returning to that role in 2026." - Mark Oldacress
Projected Role in 2026:
Mark Oldacress has it right in his quote above on Brooks. The best role for the former Bowling Green star is that of a backup interior defensive lineman who can specifically provide some juice in pass-rushing situations.
That is an important role in 2025, especially with Wyatt coming off an injury and new defensive tackle Javon Hargrave checking in at 33-years old.
Previous Rankings:
