Javon Hargrave
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Javon Hargrave revealed that Jonathan Gannon played a big role in his decision to sign with the Packers in free agency
The Green Bay Packers were led by their defense for much of the 2025 campaign, and yet, they will enter the 2026 campaign with a unit that looks very different. It will start on the sidelines, as Jonathan Gannon has been hired to be the team’s new defensive coordinator, and since his arrival, several new faces have joined the team.
One such player is veteran defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, who was released by the Minnesota Vikings ahead of the start of free agency. While getting released is never a good thing, it didn’t take long for Hargrave to find a new home with the Packers. And as it turns out, it sounds like Gannon played a big role in his decision to sign with Green Bay.
Javon Hargrave Explains Decision to Sign with Packers
Hargrave broke into the NFL back in 2016 with the Pittsburgh Steelers as a third-round pick. After initially being used as a nose tackle, Hargrave signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2020, which is where he first met Gannon. In a new scheme, Hargrave took on a slightly different role, and it helped him turn into a Pro Bowl-caliber player.
In 2022, Hargrave racked up a career-high 11 sacks, and that helped him earn a massive four-year, $84 million contract from the San Francisco 49ers. While he was a Pro Bowler in 2023 for the second time in his career, Hargrave suffered a partially torn triceps in the Niners’ third game of the 2024 season, which ended his year early. He was promptly released and signed by the Vikings.
With salary cap issues popping up for Minnesota, it led to the team moving on from Hargrave, even though he enjoyed a productive year for them (52 tackles, 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble). This time around, though, Hargrave opted to link up with one of his former coaches in Gannon, and it sounds like that is the main reason why he signed with the Packers.
“My old DC, Jonathan Gannon, I had my best years with him, and he did a lot of things to kind of give me opportunities,” Hargrave said. “I think that his defense kind of fits some of my style and what I like to do.”
Packers Have High Hopes for Javon Hargrave
Javon Hargrave
GettyJavon Hargrave revealed that Jonathan Gannon played a big role in his decision to sign with the Packers in free agency
Coming back from a season-ending injury at 32 years old isn’t easy, but Hargrave showed no signs of rust last season with the Vikings. While he didn’t get to the quarterback as frequently as he had in years past, his ability to create pressure up the middle on passing plays and clog holes in the run game makes him an extremely valuable three-down defensive tackle.
Hargrave will now join a Packers’ front seven that will almost certainly begin the year without Micah Parsons after he tore his ACL late in the 2025 season. That likely means the veteran lineman is going to be asked to wear several different hats, but the good news is that he’s already familiar with Gannon’s scheme, which should help him pick things up pretty quickly.