Free agent linebacker Krys Barnes left the Green Bay Packers to sign a one-year deal with the Arizona Cardinals.
Barnes, who played the last three seasons with the Packers, was an unrestricted free agent after Green Bay declined to offer him a restricted tender.
The departure comes on the same day the Packers re-signed Eric Wilson, one of the team’s core special teamers from last season.
The Packers signed Barnes as an undrafted free agent out of UCLA. He played in 35 games and made 24 starts between the 2020 and 2022 seasons, tallying 190 tackles, 3.0 sacks, nine tackles for loss and four pass breakups.
Barnes injured his ankle in Week 1 last season and missed 10 games. He played in just 141 defensive snaps and 25 special teams snaps over six games after playing 948 defensive snaps and 205 special teams snaps over the 2020 and 2021 seasons.
After starting during his first two seasons, Barnes took a back seat to De’Vondre Campbell and Quay Walker in 2022.
Wilson and Isaiah McDuffie will be the most likely backups at linebacker in 2023.
In Arizona, Barnes will team up with returning linebackers Zaven Collins, Isaiah Simmons, Blake Lynch and Ezekiel Turner and newcomers Kyzir White and Josh Woods.
