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Nick Barnett's season ends early once again

Woo boy. We end a newsy couple of days in the NFC North with this whopper: Green Bay Packers inside linebacker Nick Barnett will miss the rest of the season because of a wrist injury, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

BarnettBarnettAs we discussed earlier, Barnett is planning to get a second opinion later this week. But according to Schefter, Barnett is resigned to the fact that the news won't get any better. The injury is described as similar to the one suffered last season by Chicago Bears middle linebacker Brian Urlacher, who dislocated his wrist in the 2009 season opener.

The Packers are suddenly thin at inside linebacker with Brandon Chillar sidelined by a shoulder injury, one that he too will seek a second opinion on later this week. A.J. Hawk and Desmond Bishop are the only healthy inside linebackers on the roster, raising the question of whether the Packers will need to bolster their depth or if defensive coordinator Dom Capers will compensate with a scheme adjustment.

Barnett joins tailback Ryan Grant (ankle) and safety Morgan Burnett (knee) as the third Packers' starter to be lost for the season. (The Packers are hoping that incumbent safety Atari Bigby can soon take Burnett's spot.) It's the second season-ender in three years for Barnett, who also missed the final seven games of the 2008 season after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament.