For too long, the Green Bay Packers' uber-talented defense underachieved. That finally changed once Jeff Hafley took the reins as defensive coordinator, but, as is usually the case when an assistant coach does a good job, his days at Lambeau Field were short-lived.
Now, Jonathan Gannon has some big shoes to fill and plenty of mouths to silence. His failed stint as the Arizona Cardinals' head coach and his lack of adjustments in the Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles took a big toll on his reputation.
His players, however, seem to be on board with the change. When asked about their new defensive coordinator, third-year safety Evan Williams gushed about the newfound freedom and creativity the coordinator has brought to the table.
Jonathan Gannon will be under the scope with the Packers
"It's been a lot of fun. It's been very fluid. They give us a lot of freedom to be places before the snap," Williams told the media.
The Packers' defense gave up the tenth-fewest passing yards (3,516), sixth-fewest passing yards per attempt (6.4), and sixth-fewest 20+ yard completions (41). They were tied for the tenth-fewest yards per carry (4.2) and tied-fourth for the least 20+ yard carries (8).
However, they weren't particularly great at flipping the field. All in all, they created the sixth-fewest turnovers (14), and ranked 28th in interceptions (7). That's where Gannon can make a big impact and silence the critics.
With Williams, Xavier McKinney, and Javon Bullard, the Packers have one of the deepest safety rooms in the game. Spending more time on nickel, disguising coverage, and allowing them to get to different spots before the snap should help hide this team's lack of talent at cornerback and have more ball-hawks on the field at all times.
Of course, it won't be easy. The Packers will be without Micah Parsons for the first month of the season at the very least, and that will inevitably take a toll on their ability to collapse the pocket and rush the passer.
Notably, that will only add more weight to the defensive backs' ability to anticipate throws and make big plays. Having them roam free and throw different looks at the opposing offense will be paramount to limiting big plays and potentially creating more turnovers.
The Packers play in the toughest division in football, and given his recent shortcomings, it's easy to understand why some fans might be skeptical about Gannon, especially with how high Jeff Hafley left the bar. But if the players bought in, why wouldn't the fans? At the very least, he deserves the benefit of the doubt.
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