For the past several years, the Green Bay Packers have struggled to pair an elite defense with star quarterback Aaron Rodgers. This caused the team to experience playoff disappointment time and time again.
However, this started changing last season with the hiring of Joe Barry as Defensive Coordinator.
In Barry’s first year as part of head coach Matt LaFleur’s staff, he helped Green Bay finish as the NFL’s ninth-best defense in yards allowed, as well as 13th in points allowed. These numbers came despite injuries to all-pro cornerback Jaire Alexander and premier pass rusher Za’Darius Smith.
Additionally, the team’s defense especially came through in the playoffs. The Packers limited the 49ers’ versatile offense to only 13 points in the second round, while the Packers only managed 10 points themselves, yielding another playoff exit.
Despite this, there are signs of hope for the Packers to keep improving in 2022, most of which hinges on the defense taking another step forward.
Front Seven Holds Promise
The Packers began to plug holes in their defense over the past two seasons, starting with the improvement of the front seven.
After struggles against the run in years past, Green Bay started polishing this reputation considerably in 2021. The team finished 10th in rush yards allowed per game a season ago, and could build on this in 2022.
The combination of all-pro inside linebacker De’Vondre Campbell and his new running mate, first-round pick Quay Walker, holds promise. The defensive line looks formidable as well, with anchor Kenny Clark being joined by another first-round pick in Devonte Wyatt, as well as a solid veteran in Jarran Reed. Clark has been the lone force on the line for years, so the added help of Reed, even after a down year, could be huge.
The additions of Walker and Wyatt, coming off their National Title victory with Georgia, offer major potential. Pairing them with Campbell, who turned a one-year $2 million contract into a five-year $50 million extension this past off-season, this unit now could have a wide variety of impact players.
An improved run defense will also compliment the team’s pass rush, which has been its strength for some time.
Even after Za’Darius Smith’s departure to the rival Vikings, the Packers still have a deadly pair of sack artists on the team. Preston Smith bounced back by posting nine sacks a year ago, and Rashan Gary broke out with 9.5 sacks of his own. Furthermore, Gary could be in store for plenty more sacks this season if his 47 QB pressures in 2021 can be replicated.
Potentially Dominant Secondary
As strong as the front seven seem, they’re arguably not even the best unit on the team.
It starts with the return of cornerback Jaire Alexander, who was limited by injuries for most of 2021. When healthy, Alexander has proven to be an elite shutdown corner, allowing only 375 receiving yards in 2020. His return will also help second-year corner Eric Stokes improve.
Stokes, a 2021 first-round pick, was forced into the top corner spot in Alexander’s absence. He held up quite well, tallying 14 passes defended while allowing only 49.5% of passes against him to be completed.
The two of these corners on the outside also allow Rasul Douglas to move to the slot.
Douglas excelled as a playmaking corner after his mid-season pick up, intercepting five passes and scoring two touchdowns in 12 games. Having Douglas in the slot might take away from his ability to make these plays routinely, but it nonetheless enhances the secondary’s depth as a whole instead.
Pairing these corners with the safety room really underscores how good this unit is.
Adrian Amos has been a model of consistency throughout his Packers tenure, and turned in possibly his best season yet in 2021. At free safety, Darnell Savage has displayed the ability to be a major playmaker.
However, he took a step back in 2021, allowing eight touchdowns and only securing a pair of interceptions.
At age 24, Savage is still very young and certainly could bounce back, especially with increased support from the rest of the secondary.
If all the pieces come together for this Packers defense, the team has every opportunity to contend once again.
Yet the question remains: can they get over the slump?
