Is it 2020 or Bust for these Four Packers’ Defenders?
There’s an exponential amount of pressure on these four defensive players for the Green Bay Packers heading into the 2020 season.
When the 2019 season was over, Green Bay Packers‘ head coach thought long and hard about whether he was going to retain defensive coordinator Mike Pettine. So long, in fact, that the message was sent to Pettine and his crew despite his services being retained for another season.
Green Bay got blown up by a San Francisco 49ers ground attack in the NFC Championship game, and, perhaps, Lafleur was looking for someone to blame. Or, perhaps, he was looking at the season-long struggles the Packers’ defense suffered when it came to stopping the run, among other issues.
Whatever the reason, Pettine is under a tremendous amount of pressure heading into the 2020 season. Another underwhelming performance by his defense could result in him losing his job. The same can be said for these four defensive players who are nearly at the end of their rope either with the Packers or in the NFL.
Montravius Adams
The back-to-back-to-back winner of the annual “Training Camp MVP” unofficially handed out by players and coaches, Montravius Adams has failed to live up to the hype he creates every summer. A third-round pick in 2017, he seemingly has all of the athletic skills to be a starting defensive lineman in the NFL. Unfortunately, he hasn’t produced on the field–the place where it matters most. He’s entering the fourth and final year of his rookie deal and he’ll be hard-pressed to find a contract in Green Bay or elsewhere if he has a fourth straight disappointing season.
Christian Kirksey
The most established player on this list, Christian Kirksey signed with the Packers in free agency and is set to be their newest starting inside linebacker. After a promising start to his career that saw him become a full-time and productive starter in Year 3 and 4, he’s been bitten by the injury bug in each of the past two seasons; playing in only nine total games. Green Bay gave him another chance, but if he misses a large portion once again, teams will be extremely hesitant moving forward. If he accomplishes step one by staying on the field, he’ll also have to prove he still has what it takes to be a starting-caliber linebacker.
Oren Burks
The Packers had big plans for Oren Burks when they selected him in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft. A safety turned linebacker, Green Bay thought he could help cure their coverage woes at the position. Burks seemingly possessed the speed and strength to succeed. Unfortunately, he’s been strictly a special teams player and wasn’t able to get on the field on defense despite the glaring holes at the position. This upcoming season will be critical to his future success.
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Josh Jackson
Another failed early-round selection, Josh Jackson has been the most disappointing player of the bunch. Fans were delighted when he fell to the team in the second round in 2018 and many thought he was going to be a future starter. The opposite couldn’t be further from the truth, as the game has proven to be too fast for the speed-challenged Jackson. He’ll have to adapt in Year 3, as his role diminished greatly last season.