The Packers worked out defensive lineman Quinton Dial on Tuesday, according to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer (Twitter link).
Green Bay is searching for defensive line depth after losing Muhammad Wilkerson for the season, and Dial should be familiar with the Packers after spending the 2017 campaign with the club. While the Packers have since moved to a different defensive scheme after swapping out ex-coordinator Dom Capers for Mike Pettine, Green Bay is still running a 3-4 look.
Dial, 28, has spent the entirety of his NFL career in 3-4 fronts. A former fifth-round pick, Dial played his first four pro seasons in San Francisco, and was a full-time starter in 2015-16. Last year, Dial appeared in 13 games (two starts) for the Packers, managing 12 tackles and one pass defensed while playing on roughly a third of the club’s defensive snaps.
If Dial is signed by the Packers, he’d join a defensive line rotation that includes Kenny Clark, Mike Daniels, new projected starter Dean Lowry, and Montravius Adams. Last season, Dial signed a one-year deal with Green Bay that paid him a single dollar more than the veteran’s minimum, which left open the possibility of an in-season extension. The Packers could conceivably use that strategy once again if they view Dial as a possible long-term addition.
Dial met with the Lions and Seahawks after hitting free agency in March, and auditioned for the Bills last week, but has yet to garner a contract this year.