Going into the 2024 NFL season, Green Bay Packers fans were eager to see what the defense could look like with new coordinator Jeff Hafley and the depth of talent they had along their defensive front.
The Packers had two recent first-round picks, Devonte Wyatt and Lukas Van Ness, and three highly paid veterans in Rashan Gary, Kenny Clark, and Preston Smith. They also had great role players in Kingsley Enagbare, Karl Brooks, and Colby Wooden. Fans thought Green Bay could have one of the best pass rushes in the league.
However, they had a no-show in the playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles and disappointing seasons from their three most prized pass rushers: Rashan Gary, Lukas Van Ness, and Clark. So, Packers fans gathered a search-and-rescue team to find any resemblance of a pass rush before the 2025 NFL season.
To this point, they have only found a new defensive line coach, Demarcus Covington.
Jalen Hurts with all the time in the world. Touchdown Jahan Dotson!
📺: #GBvsPHI on FOX
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/oXahvjT2mR
— NFL (@NFL) January 12, 2025
Acknowledging that the previous D-line coach hire was a mistake, and trying to correct it as soon as possible is a step in the right direction. Packers fans would tell you it should not be the only step the team takes to address the lackluster pass rush. While I agree, I would say, as many of you have probably heard from Aaron Nagler in the past, “Lotta ballgame left.”
Although the Packers haven’t addressed the rush by signing anyone, they may have made an addition by subtraction. T.J. Slaton was an impact player defensively, and I would’ve kept him around as a run defender. However, his departure opens an opportunity to move Clark to nose tackle, the more natural and productive position he played every year until 2023. Maybe Kenny is just washed, but moving back to his natural position should give fans some hope that he can find his old form.
On top of this, we must keep an open mind about the current roster when looking at the pass rush. Despite the down season, this is nearly the same depth chart, minus Preston Smith, who was clearly gassed out, that many thought could be one of the best pass rushes in the league going into last season.
We all know many of the players are better than what they showed. Many are also young and have the potential to grow, despite some of them not engendering much hope. There’s the potential that a simple coaching change and familiarity in the defense can make the pass rush better.
However, a material addition is still necessary to consistently win with four.
So, let’s take a look at the remaining options.
Few external upgrades could make a significant impact outside of the draft. Trey Hendrickson is the player everyone talks about now, with most of the free-agency class signed. Hendrickson is on an expiring contract and has requested a trade. However, there has been little reporting on any movement along those fronts. While it’s an option, and the reported price of a Day 2 pick isn’t too steep, it still seems unlikely.
Micah Parsons is the other big name I’d be all in on. However, his rumored departure seems like another typical Cowboys charade. They’ll probably end up coming to terms a week before the season.
Realistically, the Packers are looking in the bargain bin for reclamation projects or veterans you hope you can squeeze a bit more juice out of. Of the younger players, it’s down to Azeez Ojulari. Of the older vets, the names remaining are DeMarcus Lawrence, Dante Fowler Jr., Brandon Graham, Von Miller, Matthew Judon, and Carl Lawson.
Azeez Ojulari and Dante Fowler Jr. intrigue me the most out of these players. Ojulari is only 24 years old. After an eight-sack rookie season, he has had three shortened seasons, with seven games played in 2022 and 11 games played in each of the last two seasons. Plus, many of the underlying metrics are worse than the middling production. According to Pro Football Focus, he had just an 8.3% pass-rush win rate, which would rank fifth among qualifying Packers edge defenders despite having six sacks in just 11 games.
Ojulari isn’t short on talent and is just entering his physical prime. On the other hand, Fowler had the most productive year of the group last season with 10.5 sacks in Washington. However, he has been somewhat of a mercenary for teams that need pass-rush juice over his career. While he’s followed Dan Quinn for several seasons, there seems to be some tension, and a move may be coming.
https://twitter.com/Giants/status/1734420095089213630
I’d expect Green Bay to take a flier on someone.
While that could be fun, there’s a good chance they don’t pick up another veteran pass rusher. But this draft is littered with guys who could make an instant impact on Green Bay’s defense in the interior and on the edge. This is the primary reason I say there’s a lot of ballgame left.
According to the NFL Mock Draft Database consensus Big Board, 27 defensive linemen and edge rushers players are ranked inside the top 100. Last year, there were just 20. And the defensive tackle class goes even deeper than that.
A reminder how LOADED this DL class is…
DTs invited to last year's Combine: 25
DTs invited to this year's Combine: 41
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) February 13, 2025
Many of these guys are also Packers types. Shemar Stewart, Mykel Williams, Mike Green, Donovan Ezeiruaku, and James Pearce Jr. are names to watch on the edge. On the interior, consider guys like Kenneth Grant, Walter Nolen, Darius Alexander, and Derrick Harmon. If the Packers go a different direction in the first, many guys are still expected to be available on day two. J.T. Tuimoloau, Landon Jackson, Bradyn Swinson, and Deone Walker are just a few.
Out of these names, I like Donovan Ezeiruaku, Kenneth Grant, and J.T. Tuimoloau the most.
Ezeiruaku played under Hafley at Boston College, so there’s already a connection. He’s also the exact type of edge prospect Packers fans have been clamoring for, both a good athlete (he had a 96th percentile three-cone, which is one of the main things Green Bay looks for in edge rushers) and highly productive with 16.5 sacks last season. Grant and Tuimoloau give championship experience, athleticism, and production.
Edge Donovan Ezeiruaku had the top 3-cone (6.94) and short shuttle (4.19) among the DL group.
Production. Tape. Testing. Checking the boxes of a 1st round pick.
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) February 28, 2025
Brian Gutekunst may have looked at this class and the depth at edge and interior and decided that instead of spending $30-plus million on a 30-plus-year-old, declining defensive lineman, the draft is where he’ll address the rush. Then, he’ll address the other needs (CB, OL) in free agency.
While it’s concerning the pass rush hasn’t been addressed to this point, there’s no reason to panic about it yet.