‘Pressure is on’ for outside linebackers

Young players could see more snaps

GREEN BAY – Patience came naturally in the past. Since the day Jayrone Elliott arrived, an undrafted rookie from a small college program, he was buried at a position with a firstround pedigree.

Clay Matthews will become the Green Bay Packers’ official sacks leader this fall. Julius Peppers’ career will end in the Hall of Fame. Nick Perry was drafted 28th overall out of USC in 2012. A year later, Datone Jones was drafted 26th out of UCLA.

In 2016, no other position on the Packers’ roster had four first-round picks.

For an outside linebacker from Toledo, the forest of firstrounders was too thick to chop down. Elliott was expected to just fill a role on special teams, keep an NFL job.

Circumstances have changed, and expectations have increased. Peppers and Jones are gone. In their absence, the Packers have an abundance of snaps for the taking.

Elliott sat at his locker Thursday after the Packers’ open organized team activities session, no longer a 22-year-old kid on a rookie contract. He knows this off-season will be his best chance to secure a role on defense. It also might be his last chance.

“The pressure is on,” Elliott said, “to see if I can really compete at this level. I’m excited for the challenge, and looking forward to going out there and trying to prove to myself and try to do this. Now, I’m just trying to be more vocal than usual to these younger guys. Those guys come and ask me a bunch of questions, and I try to take advantage of that role as well.

“But also it’s time for me to make a name for myself.”

Outside linebacker won’t be one of the hottest position battles when the Packers open training camp. A year after the Packers kept six on their initial 53-man roster, the position lacks bodies. It isn’t overpopu-