Although the former Georgia Tech standout began his rookie year with the Packers at safety, there were subtle signs of a looming position switch. Carpenter played linebacker at last year's Senior Bowl and even worked with Green Bay's edge rushers for a brief time last season before sliding back to the secondary.
Ultimately, as a means to better utilize Carpenter's size and athleticism, the Packers have moved forward with plans to convert the former seventh-round pick to inside linebacker, a move many NFL scouts forecasted during the lead-up to the 2022 NFL Draft.
They weren't alone in that assessment.