Packers officially sign Christian Kirksey, Rick Wagner

GREEN BAY — The Green Bay Packers signed LB Christian Kirksey and T Rick Wagner. General Manager Brian Gutekunst announced the transactions Tuesday.

Kirksey (6-2, 235), a seventh-year player out of the University of Iowa that was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the third round (No. 71 overall) of the 2014 NFL Draft, has played in 73 games with 54 starts. He has registered 463 tackles (289 solo), 11.5 sacks, two interceptions, 16 passes defensed, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.

Kirksey served as a team captain each of the last three years and was the Browns’ nominee for Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2018. He registered the second-most tackles (281) in the NFL from 2016-17 per press-box totals, including a career-best 143 in 2016. Kirksey will wear No. 58 for the Packers.

Wagner (6-6, 315) is entering his eighth season after originally being chosen in the fifth round (No. 168 overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens out of the University of Wisconsin. After four seasons with the Ravens, the West Allis native signed with the Detroit Lions in 2017.

Over his career, Wagner has played in 102 games with 87 starts during the regular season, including starting every game he has played except for one since 2014. Last season, he started 12 games as part of a line that helped block for an offense that totaled the eighth-most passing yards (4,187) in the NFL. Wagner will wear No. 71 for the Packers.