Move over Matthew Golden, the excitement still belongs on the defensive side of the ball.
After a thrilling Family Night, the 2025 Packers finally get to hit something other than each other....I'm sure Nate Hobbs is beaming somewhere (too soon?) And while quarterback Jordan Love's continued development and budding relationship with the Packers' shiny new 1st Round Pick is the toast of the town, let's not forget that in the House that Gutekunst Built, defense remains a top priority.
I've been looking at the defense and while it may not necessarily be chock-full of household names, I firmly believe this defense is stacked with young talent, and some of it has some experience already.
The Jets are in flux (again): new quarterback (again), new coach (again), new GM (again), and numerous questions about seemingly everything (again). I don't think there's another team that could be a more perfect matchup for this Packers defense to "tee off" on before a date with the Lions on September 7th.
Among this young core of talent, I've identified three "Big 3s" who should be eager to make their mark on Defensive Coordinator Jeff Hafley's coaching approach as he prepares to build on his 2024 campaign.
Defensive Interior - Warren Brinson, Keith Randolph, Nazir Stackhouse
I'm really intrigued to see what inroads these three can make onto the roster. Randolph may have the slight edge with his "experience" from the Bears, but the two former Bulldogs have flashed at times. The Jets' offensive line is in tatters, and I hope to see some extended drives where a combination of these three can consistently win some reps. Whoever wins the least could find themselves in the lead for practice squad consideration.
Edge - Brenton Cox Jr., Arron Mosby, Barryn Sorrell
I NEED Hafley to unleash Brenton on the Jets. I'm sure plenty of Packers' fans have wondered why he doesn't get more time out there, but I really want to see the proverbial "gap" between Cox and 3rd Rounder Sorrell. I wasn't a fan of Sorrell initially, because I so passionately believe in Cox. I need to see some sort of promise that justifies the upgrade. Mosby has to find his way to step in between the two, which may not be such a tall order as I'm initially thinking.
Cornerback - Kamal Hadden, Kalen King, Micah Robinson,
This might be the most anticipated "battle" of the preseason. Corey Ballantine's signing isn't just about familiarity. I thoroughly believe Gutekunst has some concerns on the backend of this position group. I know Micah Robinson may be a 7th Round Pick, but after doing some digging, I can't explain his slide. Hadden has the advantage of coming from a similar scheme in the Chiefs' Steve Spagnuolo while King has been cutting his teeth on the practice squad all last year. The Packers are currently carrying 12 cornerbacks in camp, five spots are all but locked in. Javon Bullard did play quite of bit of nickel last year, but I don't believe the Packers want that for the long term. But if nobody can impress, I could certainly see a situation where Bullard becomes the de facto sixth cornerback on the roster. Either way, I don't expect the Jets' Garret Wilson to see any action past the 1st quarter, so whoever can lock down their assignment might earn themselves a spot on the 53.
The Packers kick off against the Jets 7 pm CST at Lambeau Field. Don't miss it as the 2025 roster starts to shake itself out.
#GPG