Packers Put Emphasis on Two-Way Defenders in Front 7 this Offseason

On paper, anyways, this Green Bay Packers’ defense appears to have top-5 potential this season. From the front to the back, among the starters, there doesn’t seem to be a weak point on this unit.

In part, that is because of the versatility that the Packers have added — or brought back — to this defense during the offseason. Based on who they signed and drafted, it’s quite clear that there was an added emphasis on adding impact two-way defenders to the front seven.

The Packers put an emphasis on two-way defenders in front seven this offseason.

At the linebacker position in 2021, the Packers had a bit of tell based on who was lined up next to De’Vondre Campbell. If it was Krys Barnes, Green Bay was more than likely playing the run. If it was safety Henry Black, they were in all likelihood looking to defend the pass. This, of course, could have and was taken advantage of by opposing offenses.

Meanwhile, along the defensive front, Dean Lowry and Tyler Lancaster finished second and third on the team, respectively, in total snaps among Green Bay’s interior defensive linemen. Both do the dirty work against the run but they are also one-dimensional players who struggle to consistently make impact plays.

However, this offseason, the Packers sunk quite a few resources into their front seven, upgrading this unit as a whole and adding several two-way defenders who can affect both the running and passing games.

First, the Packers would re-sign Campbell and then added Quay Walker in the first round of the draft. Walker is an uber-athletic talent who was a very reliable tackler at Georgia and would allow only 7.0 yards per catch over his college career, according to PFF ($$).

With Walker lining up next to Campbell, the Packers will be able to stay in their base defense more frequently, which means there will be more guesswork for offenses trying to decipher what this defense is running. No longer will Green Bay’s personnel tip their cap to what they are doing.

Along the defensive front, the Packers would also sign Jarran Reed in free agency. Reed has proven to be capable against the run and the pass over his career, recording double-digit sacks on two occasions and 30-plus pressures in three of the last four seasons. He would also finish 26th out of 143 eligible interior defenders in PFF’s run-stop metric in 2021.

Lastly, the Packers would spend their second first-round pick on Devonte Wyatt, who, like Walker, is incredibly athletic. Wyatt would rank sixth among all interior defenders this past year in PFF’s run-stop percentage metric, and with that level of athleticism, he brings high upside as a pass-rusher.

Overall this level of versatility up front will make the defense less predictable and better prepared for whatever the offense may throw at them as the weak points — or areas that can be taken advantage of — are minimized if each defender is capable against both the run and the pass.

At the end of the day, all that matters is how this group performs on the field, but once again, on paper, this Packers defense appears to be very well equipped for whatever offenses may throw at them.