During the 2024 NFL Draft, many Green Bay Packers fans — including several of us here at Acme Packing Company — were thrilled about the selection of DB Javon Bullard in the second round and puzzled by the team taking safety Evan Williams in the fourth. Those two players had very different rookie seasons, with Williams largely impressing before missing time with injury and Bullard getting off to a slow start to his NFL career.
This summer, both players are trying to make that clichéd second-year jump, with each aiming to raise the level of play in the Packers’ secondary in different ways. Williams is looking to become a versatile enforcer as a strong safety, perhaps embodying the type of role that Hall of Famer LeRoy Butler played 25 years ago. Meanwhile, Bullard is lining up largely in the slot while also taking reps at safety, perhaps evoking memories of Micah Hyde.
The Packers are counting on both of these young players to ascend this season, though Bullard set a lower floor for himself as a rookie. Still, all of the talk about the former Georgia Bulldog through training camp has been positive, and he’s drawing praise from one of his veteran teammates this week as he has taken more safety snaps with the team’s top option missing some time due to injury.
If Williams and Bullard do take steps forward in 2025, this team’s defense should do the same as a whole and build on their successes from last season.