Packers linebacker Erik Walden really came on during the NFC playoffs last season. Credit: Mark Hoffman

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Green Bay - Long before Aaron Rodgers threw his first pass, referee Walt Anderson flipped a coin and Christina Aguilera botched the national anthem, Green Bay Packers linebacker Erik Walden had an end zone at Cowboys Stadium all to himself.

With nary another player around and linebackers coach Kevin Greene keeping a watchful eye over him, Walden ran sideline to sideline to test an ankle sprain he had suffered in the NFC Championship Game two weeks earlier. Heavily taped, Walden gave it his best and then got the news from Greene.

He wasn't going to play in Super Bowl XLV.

"KG did a great job of just kind of calming me down and making me see the big picture," Walden said, now six months later. "As long as we win, I'll still get a ring. That's the main thing. But that was tough; that was a tough pill to swallow."

It was tough because Walden came out of nowhere to secure the right outside linebacker position and become a prime-time performer for defensive coordinator Dom Capers in the playoffs. Before he rolled his ankle on the messy Soldier Field turf, he had amassed 31 tackles, four sacks, eight quarterback hits and a forced fumble in the final four games.

As fulfilling as it was to help the Packers achieve their dream, there was an empty spot in the pit of Walden's stomach left over from not playing.

"That's why I've been working so hard to help get this team back," he said. "Lord willing, hopefully, I can play this time."

Locked in a three-way battle with Frank Zombo and Brad Jones - both of whom started games at the position before Walden took over - Walden has been the one who has charged out of the gate first.

Every practice he seems to make one physical play that sends Greene into an apoplectic rush of celebration, usually resulting in Walden getting slapped on the helmet or chest-bumped. Physically more imposing than he was a year ago, Walden seems to be taking it just fine.

"I saw him at the ring ceremony and I was like, 'Man you swolled,' " inside linebacker Desmond Bishop said. "He definitely got bigger and more powerful in the off-season. It definitely shows."

Anyone who has watched practice tape can see that Walden can get underneath the pads of an offensive tackle and jack him up on a running play. He said he put 10 pounds on his 6-foot-2 frame and greatly increased his upper body strength.

Signed Oct. 27 after being released by the Miami Dolphins, Walden didn't have the luxury of learning what Greene wanted from him over the course of an off-season or training camp. He was a quick study when it came to the playbook but didn't really start to come around until Zombo got hurt against Detroit Dec. 12.

Walden has a better idea of what Greene wants, and that's why he hit the weight room hard in the off-season.

"He wants us to be physical," Walden said. "When you're not being physical, there's a problem. What he's teaching us has worked for him and I'm sure it will work for us. We just have to make sure, especially as an outside linebacker, that we be physical. There's no ways around it.

"That was kind of my approach to be more physical and set up other things for me as far as pass rush and things of that nature."

Walden wasn't sure until early July that he would be able to play this way because the high ankle sprain he suffered against the Bears was slow to heal. Tests were done again in the off-season, but he was assured nothing was wrong structurally and the ankle would heal on its own.

About the beginning of July, he was able to start running without the ankle taped heavily.

The two things Walden holds over the other two linebackers is strength and versatility. Zombo improved greatly dropping into coverage and can rush the passer better than the other two, but he's not as stout at the line of scrimmage. Jones plays with good leverage at the line and also drops well into coverage, but he hasn't shown much pass rush ability.

That's where the power comes in. Walden would like to get opposing tackles worrying about his bull rush so he can counter and slip around them. The power is the part that's noticeable now.

"You can tell he was doing some good things in the off-season," guard T.J. Lang said. "Watching him on film, he's a good player. He's a guy who sticks out. He's having a great camp so far."

Because it's a three-man race, Capers has the option of going with just one or using all three. How he decides to use them in the regular season will depend a lot on the opponent unless one of the three just consistently outperforms the others.

"Each guy has his strengths and weaknesses," Capers said. "We use so many different personnel groups that if certain guys have their niche, we might fit them in different personnel groups. We'll do a lot of different things with those guys."

Walden, like the others, would prefer not to come off the field, but to do so he'll have to add a better pass rush to his game. He did a fine job of dropping into coverage and spying the quarterback, but Capers needs someone to replace end Cullen Jenkins' ability to apply pressure.

"I feel like I really have a whole camp to develop," Walden said. "Last year I had to struggle to learn the plays. I had to do that in practice. Now I have a whole camp, a preseason to work on my fundamentals and techniques, so I think that's going to enhance my play a lot.

"I feel like it's going to be a great competitive battle and may the best man win."