Packers Coach Drops Truth Bomb About Slumping Starter

The Green Bay Packers fanbase rejoiced when the team moved on from Joe Barry as the defensive coordinator in the offseason. Many believed that the Packers' defense was leaving a lot on the table with Barry and that hiring Jeff Hafley would get the unit to the next level.

Unfortunately, however, that hasn't happened so far. Through four games, the Packers rank 18th in points (22.3) and 19th in yards allowed (339.8). Even though they grinded out two impressive wins without Jordan Love, the Packers were hoping to be over .500 through four games before the season started.

One of the reasons for the defensive struggles is the underperformance of a few key starters. Long-time Packers defensive end Rashan Gary is among those players. Hafley addressed Gary's struggles on Thursday ahead of Sunday's clash with the Rams.

Packers Coach Admits Harsh Reality About Rashan Gary

In his press conference, Hafley talked about various individual performances. He defended Kenny Clark, another veteran off to a slow start, and said he has been playing better than people give him credit for.

He didn't do the same with Gary. Instead, he said they needed to "get more out of him."

Last season, Gary played in all 17 games but saw 53% of defensive snaps. He recorded nine sacks, seven tackles for loss, and 22 QB hits.

So far this season, his snap count went up to 66% but his production took a massive hit. He has one sack, one tackle for loss, and two QB hits in four games. His PFF grade went from 80.0 overall to 56.1.

That overall decline in impact could be attributed to Hafley's new defensive system or Gary's individual performance. Regardless, it's clear that things need to change if the Packers' defense is going to be a high-level unit.

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