Green Bay's Jake Ryan (47) pulls down Carolina running back Jonathan Stewart last November. As a rookie, Ryan worked alongside Clay Matthews at inside linebacker. Matthews is expected to move outside next season, leaving Ryan, Nate Palmer and Sam Barrington to occupy the inside. The Packers may fortify the position through the NFL draft. Credit: Rick Wood

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Boca Raton, Fla. - Depending on how the first couple of rounds go, the Green Bay Packers might have a chance to upgrade their inside linebacker position.

But it might not be the kind of guy most people would expect.

Given this year's linebackers crop, they're more likely to consider the new breed of inside linebacker that some 3-4 teams are employing. Instead of going heavy in the middle, they're using speedy cover guys who look more like safeties than they do linebackers.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are a traditional 3-4 team, but much of the defense revolves around 6-1, 230-pound linebacker Ryan Shazier, a 2014 first-round draft pick. Shazier runs like the wind, but he doesn't have the bulk to consistently slug it out at the line of scrimmage against power running teams.

But Steelers coach Mike Tomlin doesn't care.

"There is no dilemma to be honest with you," Tomlin said at the AFC coaches breakfast at the NFL owners meetings. "We were over 70% sub-package defense last year, which means offenses had three wide receivers on the field and we had five defensive backs over 70% of the time.

"To make decisions with base in mind is not real realistic. The most significant downs in today’s NFL usually employ three or more receivers on offense and sub package on defense. If you look at highlights on weekends, the replays, possession downs, the red zone plays, the explosion plays, often times they’re under those circumstances."

There are numerous linebackers in the mold of Shazier available in this draft.

They include UCLA's Myles Jack (6-1, 245), Ohio State's Darron Lee, 6-1, 232), LSU's Deion Jones, (6-1, 219), Notre Dame's Jaylon Smith (6-2, 223), Oklahoma's Dominique Alexander, (6-0, 232) and USC's

Su’a Cravens, (6-1, 226).

The Packers went with Clay Matthews (6-3, 255), Jake Ryan (6-2, 240) and Nate Palmer (6-2, 248) last year at inside linebacker. They were set to start Sam Barrington (6-1, 240) alongside Matthews until he suffered a season-ending injury in Week 1.

Other than Matthews, none are considered speed burners and coverage has been an issue in the middle of the field. This year, Matthews is expected to play more outside linebacker, leaving the middle positions a question mark.

If the Packers are in a position where one of the undersized linebackers is atop their draft board, they will have to make a decision whether to make that pick. Under defensive coordinator Dom Capers, the Packers play 70% sub defense also, so there is room for someone who can cover in the middle of their defense.

That kind of player has to be protected by big guys upfront or else his size will be exploited in the run game in base situations. Given some of the mismatches created with tight ends and running backs, it may just be worth finding someone who can run to play in the middle.

"I think the game has produced those type of guys, the guys who look like the animal that they hunt, if you will," Tomlin said. "They run like running backs. They’re built like running backs.

"It’s an exciting part of the game to see the evolution of that position to meet the requirements of the game, that linebacker that is capable of being a dominant player in sub situations or on possession downs that can play in space or cover people in man or zone."

"I think you’re going to see more of that as we continue on."