Packers' Karl Brooks: Consistent third-year production
Rotowire
Brooks ended the 2025 regular season with 28 tackles (eight solo), including 0.5 sacks, and one pass defensed over 16 games.
Brooks ended the 2025 campaign with 3.0 sacks fewer than in 2024, but he added four tackles to his total to compensate for the diminished pass-rush production. The defensive tackle was a formidable defensive starter who also logged consistent special-teams snaps, adding to his total value to the team. The 2023 sixth-rounder now enters the final year of his rookie contract, and it remains to be seen if the Packers will extend Brooks before the start of the 2026 season or let him become an unrestricted free agent in 2027.
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Packers' Karl Brooks: Cleared to play vs. Chicago
Rotowire
Brooks (ankle) does not carry an injury designation into Sunday's game against the Bears, Wes Hodkiewicz of the Packers' official site reports.
An ankle injury prevented Brooks from playing in Green Bay's Thanksgiving win over Detroit, but he has been cleared to return for Sunday's NFC North tilt after logging a full practice Friday. Brooks' return is a welcome one for the Packers after Devonte Wyatt (ankle) was placed on injured reserve, and the former will likely start alongside Colby Wooden at defensive tackle for the rest of the season.
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Packers' Karl Brooks: Logs limited session
Rotowire
Brooks (ankle) was a limited participant at Wednesday's practice.
Brooks was injured in Week 12 and missed the Week 13 win over the Lions, but his limited participation provides him a decent chance to return in Sunday's matchup versus the Bears. His return to the lineup will be vital against the Bears' second-ranked run offense, especially with DT Devonte Wyatt (ankle) done for the season. Brooks has recorded 17 tackles (four solo) through 11 games.
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Packers' Karl Brooks: Won't play Thursday
Rotowire
Brooks (ankle) has been ruled out for Thursday's game against the Lions, Wes Hodkiewicz of the Packers' official site reports.
Brooks managed to play through his ankle injury Week 12 against the Vikings and played seven total snaps (four on defense, three on special teams), but he hasn't practiced in any capacity since. His next chance to retake the field will arrive Sunday, Dec. 7 against the Bears in Week 14.
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Packers' Karl Brooks: Makes mark as rookie
Rotowire
Brooks recorded 20 tackles (12 solo), 4.0 sacks, four passes defended, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries over 17 games in the 2023 regular season.
Brooks was not selected until the sixth round of the 2023 Draft, but he made an impact despite playing only 34 percent of the defensive snaps. He could push for a bigger role in his second season.
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Packers' Karl Brooks: Joins the Green and Gold
Rotowire
The Packers selected Brooks in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, 179th overall.
Brooks (6-foot-3, 296 pounds) posted rather mediocre athletic testing, logging a 5.09-second pro day 40 along with a 26.5-inch vertical and 105-inch broad jump, and numbers like those bode poorly for his tools grade. On the other hand, Brooks was immensely productive at Bowling Green, to the extent that his skill set might be strong enough to overrule whatever athletic disadvantages he might face. Brooks constantly found his way into opposing backfields in college, producing 30.5 tackles for loss in his last two years. He's an interesting project as a 3-4 end, 4-3 tackle.