Sign Kwitnikowski from the Bears , and draft another inside linebacker. And get a big body for the D line that will make life easier for the inside linebackers.

I don't blame Martinez For the collapse in SF. Thats a Team Effort. I believe his lack of speed can be made up with a better DL. Yes he can't go sideline to sideline. But he can tackle when No one else seems too. Gute made a mistake selecting Burks. And Goodson isn't the answer either. The Ilb has been the biggest mistake in part, because of the 3-4-4. I hate it. Fackrell sure didn't help either. And Now we have to over-pay Martinez because of it. You say we shouldn't. I agree. We shouldn't because thats the only way Gute will do something about it. It being the defense!!! Not Martinez. Gute needs replacements. And you can't pay Martinez, if you have to replace players that fall down, can't tackle, or have no push. The biggest part of the 3-4-4 is the LBs. It's time for change. The game is won in the Trench. It's time for change. Only then will we go to the super-bowl.

I really like Martinez. And I do think he is undervalued amongst many Packer fans. He is a tackling machine who gets himself into great position with really good instincts to make many good plays.

If the price was right, I would absolutely bring Martinez back. The problem though is I doubt the price will be right. With the players that they are going to be needing to resign in the next couple of years I don't see how they can resign Martinez to be honest.

We need an upgrade at ILB regardless of whether or not Martinez comes back. We need an upgrade with speed and play making ability. I could see them looking for some cheaper options at ILB in FA, but I think they will be looking at the draft to find a guy.

I think both Gute and Martinez have been pretty clear that there has been little contact between them and no discussions about a new contract have taken place. The Packers are moving on - the question is who replaces Martinez. I find it hard to believe that either Burks or Summers are the preferred replacement, but maybe they expect Summers to make a big jump (he has the speed Martinez doesn't have) in his second year. I would like to see the Packers acquire a good FA ILB, but I just don't know if they have the cap space to do so in light of their stated intentions to resign Bulaga and Crosby.

I also believe that DL is a bigger priority than ILB. Our defensive line got shredded by SF twice and other teams also ran the ball on us pretty effectively. Improve the DL through FA and the draft and our ILBs will look better. It is tough for an ILB to be fast or effective with a 300 pound guard planted in his chest.

If Gute was smart and I think he's very smart he'll let Martinez walk and hope Murry or Queen falls to him at 30 or he'll draft one of the 2nd tier guys in the 3rd/4th rounds and get a BIG dude like Michael Pierce to play in front up front next to Clark. I suppose he could try and sign Nick Kwiatkoski and I'd actually like that but I wonder how much Kwiatkoski will get offered especially after doing a pretty damn good job for Trevation once he was injured last season. Hell the Bears may try and keep Kwiatkoski themselves since both are FA.

I can't wait for the combine, Free Agency, and finally the draft to get here. I mean how AWESOME is it to know we have a GM who will actually use the other ways of team building like free agency and trades?

Through dedication and intelligence Martinez has maximized his physical capability. Would that all would do the same. It is time to upgrade the ILB positions. Gute will explore all avenues to do just that. The draft will be more riveting than most for Packer fans. How it plays out will determine which of three positions Gute will address first. The combine will create even more conjecture.

If he will sign a cap friendly deal I would love to see him back. Just makes too many plays to let him walk. I understand the need for speed, but he is proven.

Gute once again finds himself having to invest deeply in a position that ol Ted just couldn’t get right (the other being safety) now he has to decide what to do with another limited player, that’s not great in coverage or in run support but brings one particular aspect of his job to the table interceptions for HHCD and now tackles for Blake both were always ready for game day. I think we all know how this is going to end.

Yes, let Martinez go. The defense still needs more talent. Here is my solution.

Sign Clark. Sign a mid level DL. Sign a mid level ILB. Resign Williams, he is still viable. Sign, Lancaster and Fackwell for depth. Draft an ILB in 1st or 2nd round. And I hate to say this but draft another DB in rounds 4 thru 7

It's easy to spout drop this guy and replace him with someone better but there are no guarantees here. Look how long we've looked for upgrades at TE and WR. Just because we want an all world FA doesn't mean they want to play here, or that we can afford them without a major dismantling of the decent players we already have. You only get 2, maybe 3 upgrades in any given draft unless you trade away the future.

Martinez is an unusually classy guy the likes of which don't come around that often. Maybe he fits better in a 4-3 than a 3-4, who's to say. But regardless if he stays or if he goes, just treat the guy with some respect will ya. He deserves at least that much from us arm chair critics.

Here is Martinez prospectus:
What you see is what you get with Martinez. An average player in terms of straight-line speed, Martinez can be beat to the corner and must win with pursuit angles down the sideline.

An average tackler when asked to break down and thud a ball-carrier, Martinez is susceptible to stiff arms and spin moves, as well as an old-fashioned helmet in his chest. With a frame that’s seemingly maxed out, Martinez doesn’t bring much upside to the table.

A lack of explosiveness limits Martinez as a playmaker. He can’t hang deep in coverage and is limited to a zone-coverage linebacker only because of his poor long speed. Martinez most likely projects as a two-down player in the NFL, as he doesn’t offer much as a pass-rusher or cover man.

Here is Murray's prospectus:
In the ground game, Murray is a very physical tackler with sideline-to-sideline speed and has some ability to take on blocks at the point of attack. He is a very good tackler who wraps up ball-carriers and puts them into the turf forcefully. Murray has the size and mentality to take on blocks, holds his ground, sheds blocks, and gets in on tackles. He has been a tackling machine throughout his collegiate career, as he is a superb run defender and projects to be a force to shut down and limit offenses' ground game.

Murray is an asset in pass coverage too. Team sources like his athleticism and coverage ability, which are vital to be a three-down starter and difference-maker for a non-pass-rushing linebacker in the modern NFL. He covers a lot of ground in zone coverage, is a smooth mover in space, and does a nice job of disrupting throwing lanes. His size and athleticism allow him to have the potential to play some man coverage on tight ends and backs out of the backfield. On dump-off passes to the flat, Murray explodes into the ball-carrier and is very good at making tackles in space. He has the speed to run down the middle seam as well. Murray's skill set and instincts make him an excellent spy to help neutralize a mobile quarterback as well.

OK, Murray seems to be an upgrade, but do you go all in and let Martinez go and hope you get Murray? Trade Up? It seems to me a big gamble, since not another difference maker at that spot. I don't think Queen is a 1st round guy IMHO.

5 yrs ,60 mill with 40 guaranteed, if someone offers much more then we have to let him go. Be careful here because it's very difficult to replace a very sturdy, young ILB at a physically demanding position, 140 TKLs, and great leadership.

Knowing cost is the big issue here, I would make every effort to keep him if possible. Changes to the defensive scheme could make him less vulnerable in coverage situations. Also, nobody can cover forever, we need a better pass rush on a consistent basis. If he walks you will need two ILBs. The safeties and CBs will end up making more tackles, more physical abuse, more injuries. Give him a better partner in the middle and he will make us happy we kept him. With all his up side an effort should be made to make it work.

I like Martinez but am in the "if the price is right" column for keeping/letting him go. The problem is getting an assignment sure AND better option this year. I'm inclined to got with the "get a decent extra DL alongside Clark" crowd here. Also, Cory, I disagree with this line from your post, "And Jaire Alexander will be the best cover corner in the NFC North by 2021. He made a huge jump this past season and he continues to impress with his amazing athletic ability." From what I saw this year Jaire took more of a step back than any kind of 2nd year jump. I think Alexander has tons of ability and should be better this year but disagree that he made improvement last season.

Martinez is a good player but "he ain't no Nitschke"(paraphrasing from Charlie Wilson's War). Gute needs to stick with his plan of bringing in more athletic talent than what we have had. Last year he brought in better players at OLB and Safeties and both positions were improved and resulted in an improved overall defense at least until we played SF.

I advocate that we continue that plan and bring in better players at ILB and on the DL to support Kenny Clark. Whether we can achieve that via FA, trade, the draft or a combination of all is fine with me. Via the draft we will certainly get a player cheaper than what it will cost to retain Martinez. Via FA Gute will need to determine if the cost of an upgrade over Martinez is worth the cap hit.

What we do know is that regardless of how we do it we need to improve our ILB and DL to move our defense up to the next level required to win at a championship level. Thanks, Since '61

Martinez, is A.J. Hawk 2.0. That's not a slam, just that he is good, not spectacular. Hawk always had tons of tackles, albeit 4 yards past the line of scrimmage. Martinez is NEVER going to get faster, and will never be a player offenses feel they have to account for. Upgrade the physical talent.

I read somewhere that Sean Lee might be a FA this year. I know he gets injured a lot but he can be a good stopgap until we can draft/develop another good MLB.

All the green and gold gobbly gook per usual on this topic. Martinez was the weakest link in 2019 defense, by far. Stop telling me how many tackles he had or about leadership, as neither of those matter when SF is running the ball down your throat or (insert team here) is exploiting you at the short or intermediate levels in the middle of the field cause your ILB runs like he has cream city bricks in this shoes.

For the love of god, smart teams targeted Martinez and forced him to be the one to make a play and torched him all season long.

Obviously time for a change. No question about it.

Attn: CoryJennerJohn and all the other Packer fans of Blake Martinez. Are you all high on Meth or something? Martinez is and always will be flipping horrible! He has no business playing in the NFL! While other successful defenses in the NFL have inside linebackers with 4.4 speed, Martinez comes in at a whopping 6.1. As long as I have seen him played, he sucks. Let him go. He should have been cut at the beginning of the 2018 season. What a joke to see him in action against the 49er’s in the NFC Championship game. If the Packers even attempt to resign him, the fan base should fire all upper management and LeFluer.

Sad to say, but it seems we need an upgrade from Martinez, even as we appreciate all the good work he has done for us.
He doesn't seem to be strong enough to blow up blockers, nor fast enough to run past them.
In order to compensate for his lack of pass coverage, Martinez would need to be that stronger, faster guy who stops the run.
I wonder if Gary may be that stronger, faster guy?
Also, would it make sense to change to a 4-3 with Gary in the middle and the Smiths on the outside (and perhaps Fackrell and Goodson and Burks as subs)?
One key decision for the Packers in free agency may be whether to get a really stout defensive tackle, or a really superior ILB -- a guy who makes an impact right away as the Smiths did this past season.

Love Martinez’s heart, toughness, and great character. I don’t think anyone would argue about those. I tape Packer wins and rewatch them many times( my wife thinks I’m nuts but it’s better than what’s on tv). Recently I have focused on his play. I have no training on grading football players, but the eye test showed someone who had issues disengaging from blockers and was slow to the sidelines. Add poor pass defense and it was kinda tough to watch. He did make many tackles down field but saw very little explosive capability. Either by draft, trade, or FA I feel we can get an upgrade at a lot smaller cost than he will command

If he's as bad and useless as is stated here, a vet min. offer is all that is needed to keep him. Lets see who and what is offered and then decide the best move. What the 49er's did was not all his fault.

I had Miss St brute LB Erroll Thompson to plug the MIKE...unfortunately he just recommitted for next year :(

Appalachian St LB Akeem Davis-Gaither is the solution to the WILL spot to replace Burks...if combine positive probably comes off the board in 3rd round

Let Martinez go and find another LB that is given the same help at ILB as Blake. I can't wait to see how much improvement the Defense will be. Who were the Packers LBs that were next to Blake this year and what were their stats.

Martinez was drafted in the 4th round and plays like a 4th rounder. The Packers can get an upgrade by drafting an ILB in the first three rounds. But we also need a big run-stopper and a good WR in the early rounds.