Nick Barnett: Another Addition To the Green Bay Packers' List of Injuries

Adam Schefter reported that he believes Nick Barnett is suffering from a season-ending injury similar to the one Brian Urlacher suffered just a year ago. This injury adds yet another big name to a big list of big injuries.

Sounds like a big deal to me.

This report is preliminary and is pending a second opinion that Barnett will be receiving on Friday. Apparently he will decide whether or not it is an injury that he can play through. I am no doctor, but if a player like Urlacher can't do it, I'm not sure I can see Barnett pull it off. However, optimism is the only solution on that front.

Barnett is not only known for his tackling ability, which speaks for itself about 100 times a season. He also brings another very important, and often overlooked aspect to the table: veteran leadership.

In a young core of linebackers, Barnett is the voice of experience—2010 is his 10th season in the NFL and Barnett has seen many more game situations than the rest of the line backing core. If the Packers were to make a playoff run, the younger players could benefit much more from Barnett being on the field rather than on the sidelines.

But Barnett is just another broken branch on the tree of the Packers defense, making it that much harder for the Packers to have success down the line. They are already feeling the losses of Al Harris, Atari Bigby, Morgan Burnett, and Johnny Jolly.

They have also seen injuries to linebackers Brandon Chillar and Brady Poppinga and with the addition of Barnett, the linebacking core draws thin heading into Week 5 against the Washington Redskins.

The offense is going to have to be stellar for the entire season, and injuries cannot be a factor from here on out. With Aaron Rodgers playing superb football right now, the Packers should have no problem putting up points.

However, with the loss of the running game due to an injury to Ryan Grant, the Packers may need to start adhering to superstition. Any further injuries to the depleted defensive squad could be absolutely catastrophic.

This Sunday, the offense will be able to score at will against a Washington defense that ranks second to last in the league in yards allowed per game. They also rank 2nd to last in passing defense, allowing 305 yards per game. This should spell a cake walk for Green Bay's gunslinger, but the other side of the ball will need to work on finding plausible solutions at positions plagued with injuries.

According to Dom Capers, he is doing everything he can to get Chillar back in the lineup for this week, so keep your eye on Frank Zombo. Capers has had faith in him to fulfill Chillar's duties while he was injured and will probably be working him in this week as well. Barnett's replacement, if he is in fact out for the season, will be Desmond Bishop.

Barnett is scheduled to get a second opinion on his wrist on Friday. After that, it will be up to the Packers to begin to prepare for their match up with the Redskins.