Green Bay Packers: 3 X-Factors on Defense in 2020
By Paul Bretl
Kingsley Keke
I’ve already mentioned how ugly the NFC Championship Game was for the Green Bay Packers’ run defense and that it was an issue for much of the season as well. To be exact, the 120.1 rushing yards per game that they allowed ranked 23rd last season. And truthfully, they were actually worse for much of the year but some decent performances at the end of the season provided them with a late boost.
Kenny Clark has developed into one of the best interior defensive linemen in the NFL and is due for a big pay-day, but he needs others around him to step up. I would categorize Dean Lowry as fine but nothing special, and ideally he would be the third man in the rotation, not the second.
Meanwhile, Montravius Adams just hasn’t panned out and may not even make the final roster, Tyler Lancaster is solid but in small doses, and Treyvon Hester could provide a boost but he’s also on his fourth team in as many seasons.
The one interior player that can really give Clark the help that he needs, and it’s why he’s listed as an X-Factor, is Kingsley Keke.
Keke didn’t see much playing time as a rookie but when he was on the field he had shown a lot of promise, especially against the run. With only 107 total defensive snaps, there aren’t going to be any eye-popping numbers to look at, but Keke’s ability against the run caught the eye of coaches during training camp, and as the season progressed he was able to make some noise in his limited action.
Below Andy Herman of Packer Report highlights some of Keke’s best plays from 2019:
.@BucketsAll_Day (Kingsley Keke) is far from a finished product, but he showed a LOT of promise in just over 100 snaps in 2019. Here's a look at some of the plays that stood out on tape, both the good, and some that he can learn from. The future is very bright for #96! pic.twitter.com/o45POA3kS9
— Andy Herman (@AndyHermanNFL) February 7, 2020
With his athleticism, skill-set, and physical traits, other than Clark, Keke has the highest potential of this interior defensive line group. It’s now time for him to play a much larger role and if he can make that Year 2 leap as so many successful NFL players do, it will go a long way in solidifying this already stout defensive front.
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However, if Keke struggles or can’t find playing time once again, it’s hard to envision this Green Bay Packers’ run defense being any better.