Green Bay Packers fans have spent plenty of time this offseason dissecting the team's pass rush—or more accurately, the lack of one. Yet somehow, Kingsley Enagbare has been left out of nearly every conversation.
The numbers tell the story. Yes, Green Bay technically ranked eighth in the NFL with 45 sacks last season. But much of that production was hollow.
Precisely a third of those sacks came in just two games—against the Tennessee Titans and Seattle Seahawks. The pass rush was feast or famine, and most of the time it was famine.
The inability to generate consistent pressure forced defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley to get creative—and desperate. His blitz packages often resembled something out of a magic act, sending players flying in from unexpected angles while defensive linemen dropped back into coverage to keep offenses guessing.
Worse yet, when Green Bay needed a pass rush the most, it vanished. The Packers went 0-6 against the Vikings, Lions, and Eagles last season—divisional and conference rivals they need to beat. In those six games, they managed just seven total sacks.
And despite all that, Green Bay barely touched the position this offseason. Unless they pull a late rabbit out of the hat—like signing Jadeveon Clowney or trading for Trey Hendrickson—they essentially stood pat. T.J. Slaton walked in free agency. The only additions came via two Day 3 picks at defensive end.
That’s put a heavy spotlight on the big names: Kenny Clark, Rashan Gary, and Lukas Van Ness. And with good reason—those three account for nearly $51 million combined against this year’s cap, chewing up 18 percent of the Packers’ available salary space. They’re the headliners. The expectations are sky-high.
But lost in all of this is Kingsley Enagbare, quietly waiting in the wings.
A fifth-round pick out of South Carolina in 2022, Enagbare has quietly improved each season. His workload has steadily increased, and the results are starting to surface. Last year, in limited snaps, he finished third on the team with a career-high 4.5 sacks and second in total pressures with 13.
Enagbare’s not without flaws. He struggles at times setting the edge and still leaves something to be desired as a tackler. But as a rotational pass rusher, he may be Green Bay’s X-factor.
The beauty of Enagbare’s role is that he’ll fly under the radar. Opposing offenses won’t game plan for him the way they do for Gary or Clark. That means plenty of one-on-one matchups—and if he can win even a few more of those, it could give this pass rush a much-needed shot of adrenaline.
In a pass-rushing room full of high-priced stars and question marks, don’t sleep on Kingsley Enagbare. He may not be the biggest name, but he just might be the one who tips the scales for Green Bay's defense in 2025.