Originally signed with the Green Bay Packers as a rookie free agent out of UCLA on 4/29/20. Released by the Packers on 9/5/20 and signed to the team's practice squad on 9/6/20. Elevated from the practice squad to the active roster on 9/12/20. Re-signed with Green Bay on 4/18/22, signing a one-year contract as an exclusive rights free agent. Signed a one-year contract with the Cardinals on 3/28/23. Re-signed with Arizona to a one-year contract on 3/13/24.
2023: Appeared in all but one game making six starts ... totaled 53 tackles, a career-high six passes defensed, three tackles for loss, one QB hit and an INT which he returned 46 yards ... had two tackles in his Cardinals debut @ Was (9/10) ... had seven tackles, one tackle for loss and one pass defensed in his first start with the team vs. NYG (9/17) ... had seven tackles and matched a career-high with two passes defensed vs. Dal (9/24) ... played @ SF (10/1) ... saw action vs. Cin (10/8) ... played @ LAR (10/15) ... had a special teams tackle @ Sea (10/22) ... inactive (hamstring) vs. Bal (10/29) ... had a special teams tackle @ Cle (11/5) ... played vs. Atl (11/12) ... had three tackles, two passes defensed and an INT of Texans QB C.J. Stroud, which he returned 46 yards; the INT return marked just the third of 45+ yards by a Cardinals LB since at least 2000 ... had seven tackles (one for loss) vs. LAR (11/26) ... had four tackles @ Pit (12/3) ... had one tackle vs. SF (12/17) ... had a season-high nine tackles @ Chi (12/24) ... led the team with seven tackles (including one for loss) @ Phi (12/31) and added one QB hit ... had six tackles and one pass defensed vs. Sea (1/7/24).
2022: Appeared in six games with one start and was inactive for three contests … missed eight games (Weeks 2-8) while on injured reserve (ankle) … had 29 tackles, a sack and a QB hit … saw action on defense and special teams in the season-opener @ Min (9/11) before an ankle injury ended his day in the 4th quarter … returned to the lineup @ Det (11/6) and led the team with eight tackles before sustaining a concussion late in the 4th quarter … inactive (concussion) vs. Dal (11/13) … returned to action vs. Ten (11/17) and led the team with 12 tackles, a sack and a QB hit; posted his first sack of the season as he brought down Ryan Tannehill for no gain … started and recorded six tackles @ Phi (11/27) … had three tackles and also played on special teams in the season finale vs. Det (1/8/23).
2021: Started 13-of-16 games he appeared in at ILB during the regular season, logging 79 tackles (56 solo), a sack, four tackles for loss, four passes defensed and a fumble recovery … ranked third on the team in tackles … added two tackles and a fumble recovery on special teams … started in the season-opener @ NO (9/12) and finished with eight tackles, the second most on the team … registered four solo tackles and recovered a fumbled snap from Jared Goff vs. Det (9/20); fumble recovery set the Green Bay offense up at the DET 23 yard-line and led to a Packers TD … finished with six tackles, a QB hit and logged his first sack of the season, taking down Joe Burrow for an eight-yard loss @ Cin (10/10) … led the team with a season-high nine tackles @ KC (11/7) … logged a team-high nine tackles, had his first career pass defensed and recovered a fumble on a Rams punt return that gave the Packers the ball at the LA 27-yard line vs. LAR (11/28) … finished with five tackles and a career-high two passes defensed vs. Min (1/2/22) … led the team with seven tackles and a tackle for loss in the regular season finale @ Det (1/9/22) … made his third career postseason start and totaled seven tackles and a tackle for loss in the Divisional round matchup vs. SF (1/22/22).
2020: Appeared in 13 games (10 starts) and led all NFL undrafted rookies with 78 total tackles (47 solo) and five tackles for loss … only undrafted rookie defender in the NFL with multiple starts in 2020 … ranked 6th among all NFL rookies in tackles … also finished 2nd on the team in tackles and added two tackles on special teams … started both postseason games, leading the team with 13 tackles (eight solo) while adding a pass defensed despite playing through a broken thumb … missed three games (weeks 10-12) during the regular season while on reserve/COVID-19 list … started at ILB and saw action on special teams in the season-opener @ Min (9/23), becoming the first undrafted rookie LB to start a Week 1 contest for the Packers since the 1970 NFL/AFL merger; finished the game with six tackles and two tackles for loss while also notching a special teams tackle … started and posted a team-high eight tackles, a sack, a tackle for a loss and a QB hit @ Hou (10/25) before exiting the game with a shoulder injury; late in the 2nd quarter, sacked Deshaun Watson for a 5-yard loss, the first sack of his NFL career … started and recorded six tackles, a tackle for a loss and the first forced fumble of his career vs. Car (12/19); midway through the 2nd quarter, met Teddy Bridgewater as he tried to go over the top of the line on 1st-n-goal from the one-yard line, forcing a fumble that was picked up and returned to the CAR 48 … started and led the team with a career-high 14 tackles (eight solo) and a tackle for a loss @ Chi (1/3/21) … started and played 48-of-53 defensive snaps in his NFL playoff debut in the Packers Divisional round victory vs. LAR (1/16/21); led the team with 10 tackles (seven solo) and had a pass defensed despite wearing a club cast in the second half due to a hand injury sustained in the 2nd quarter … despite a broken thumb, started his second consecutive postseason game and totaled three tackles in the NFC Championship Game vs. TB (1/24/21).
Played in 43 games (31 starts) in his four seasons (2016-19) at UCLA, recording 212 tackles, 21 tackles for a loss, 5.0 sacks, a forced fumble, two INTs and 15 passes defensed … as a senior in 2019, started all 11 games he played and recorded 74 tackles, 10 tackles for a loss (matched his career high), a career-best 4.0 sacks, a forced fumble, an INT and a career-high eight passes defensed … tied for the team lead in tackles for loss and paced the Bruins in passes defensed … earned honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors from the league's coaches … presented the Kenneth S. Washington Most Outstanding Senior Award at the team banquet … as a junior in 2018, started all 12 contests, ranking 2nd on the team in tackles (85) and tackles for a loss (10) … added a sack, an INT, seven passes defensed and a QB hit … as a sophomore in 2017, played in 10 games (eight starts), finishing with 50 tackles and a tackle for a loss … saw action in 10 games as a true freshman in 2016, primarily playing on special teams.
Full name is Krystopher Nathaniel Barnes … attended Liberty (Bakersfield, CA) High School where he posted 78 tackles and six tackles for a loss as a senior in 2015 … named to the PrepStar Dream Team and was selected to the Tacoma News-Tribune's Western 100 … listed as the #9 inside linebacker in the country by ESPN and the #7 ILB in the nation by Scout.com … registered 130 tackles as a junior in 2014 … during his time with the Bruins, was named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll in Winter of 2017, Spring of 2018 and Winter of 2020 … earned a degree in Sociology.
