Green Bay Packers sign Syracuse LB Parris Bennett as free agent

While Zaire Franklin was the lone Syracuse Orange player drafted, plenty more will have a chance to make an NFL roster. One of those players includes his fellow linebacker, Parris Bennett, who signed as a free agent with the Green Bay Packers on Saturday.

Bennett led Syracuse in tackles for each of the last two seasons. He had 110 in 2016 and 115 as a senior, becoming one of the ACC’s most productive linebackers by the time his career wrapped up. He started 32 games in total for Syracuse, including 24 straight to finish up his time with the Orange.

As a senior, Bennett made the All-ACC second team, and also had six different games in which he tallied at least 10 tackles. He also had two sacks and a forced fumble.

The Packers also drafted two linebackers this year, Vanderbilt’s Oren Burks (third round) and Southeast Missouri State’s Kendall Donnerson (seventh round). Green Bay has 10 linebackers on the roster already, plus Bennett and the two draftees. With the Packers playing a 3-4, there’s at least more opportunities for him to work his way in (potentially).

Congrats to Parris, and good luck making it with Green Bay!