4 Ways Our Defense Can Improve In 2023

Entering the 2022 NFL season, Packer fans were ecstatic about the possibilities of our dominant defense. With pieces returning from the previous season, and early draft additions from that Georgia Bulldog championship team, it seemed that the Lafluer offense was going to be given plenty of breathing room to work.

In 2022, the Joe Barry led defense gave up the 7th most points in the league, was ranked 31st in rushing yards, 30th in attempts, and 25th in rushing touchdowns allowed. In summation, the NFL knew how to beat us - by hammering us in the run game.

Now, is the Packer secondary elite? Or even good? The frustrating part is that there are elite players in that lineup - but teams only attempted 478 passes against them last season - fewest in the league.

All of this to say, the Pack must address the defense, especially if we have a less potent offense. (crossing fingers and positive vibes for J. Love)

Here are 4 things the Packers need to address before week 1:

1. Rashan Gary:

In 9 games, Rashan had 32 tackles, 6 sacks, and was one of the few making an impact from the edge before going down with an ACL injury. The 2019 1st round pick out of Michigan has been a pleasant surprise, bursting onto the scene in late 2020 into the 2021 season.

Even without Z. Smith opposite him in 2022, he was making plays, all while garnering the attention from offensive lines.

The Packers need a healthy and dominant Rashan Gary in 2023. He tore his ACL in early November, so that should put him on track for that 9-11 month recovery window for training camp. Every player heals differently from that injury - but for the Pack’s sake - let’s hope he heals properly and on schedule so he is back and better than ever.

2.) D-Line help wanted - “Are you serious, Clark?”:

The Packers did take a flier on a veteran like Jarran Reed - who did make some plays last year, but he was a one and done (signed back with Seattle). Dean Lowry left for the purple people this offseason as well. Guty did draft an athletic big man out of Georgia in Davonte Wyatt, who flashed some promise late last season.

It comes down to this: the Packers struck gold with drafting Kenny Clark out of UCLA in 2016. The wrestling-background d-lineman is never the sexy pick for the first round. But Kenny has been a bright spot on that interior defense line, and one of the only ones.

It seems like the Packers have been plugging in “cousin Eddy” at other d-tackle spots to help Clark, all of which are handled with ease by offensive guards. This all subjects Clark to combination blocks on every run play.

Someone to step up next to Kenny Clark. That takes blocks off of Clark, and especially helps free up the linebackers. Can Davonte Wyatt be that guy? I hope so. Should we bank on it? Probably not.

The Packers need to add depth. One name that comes to mind is free agent Akiem Hicks. The former Chicago Bear and Buccaneer has always been fun to watch. He demands a double team and gobbles up blocks. Tampa wants to resign him - but can Guty lure him away?

Another option is the draft. One of the best defensive line prospects in recent memory could fall. There are reports of teams taking him off of draft boards because of recent legal struggles. The fanatic in me says take a chance on Jalen Carter if he falls in your lap. This 6’4 315 lb Georgia Bulldog is nearly unblockable. And may fall from a top 1-3 pick to….how far?

3.) LB Quay Walker - take a step this year - mature

2022 rookie Quay Walker had his ups and downs. Immediately you saw why we drafted him. His length, speed, athleticism is off the charts. Even when he misread something, he was usually the guy making the tackle (even if it is 10 yards later). That sideline-to-sideline speed is something that cannot be taught.

What can be taught is…in game maturity, scouting, and reading the offense.

One glaring weakness of Quay Walker’s first season was his ability to keep a cool head (pushing a Bills coach on the sideline and shoving an athletic trainer vs Detroit in week 18).

That tape is out there, you wonder how teams will exploit that. They will test how much he has grown in that area by poking/prodding - shoving, and talking. In order to take a step, he has to learn how to move-on to the next play mentally.

The other thing Quay needs to improve on is matching his instinct with preparedness. For all I know, Quay may watch more tape than anyone on the team. But you must apply it. The flashes he did make were unbelievable. You see some plays where he shoots into the gap and clobbers the running back almost before he has the handoff. The Packers need THAT Quay. The highlights are high. The lowlights are very low…

Joe Barry, Campbell, and the rest of the veterans need to get Quay mentally prepared for the season, because he has the potential to be Roquan Smith, Fred Warner, Shaq Leonard, etc.

4.) Add a veteran in the secondary

In all likelihood we are losing Adrian Amos in free agency. Someone who is often overlooked by Packer fans as one of the more stable starters on the backend since signing in 2019. The Packer secondary has talent, ball skills, and athleticism. It just seems like we are missing something. Hard to put a finger on it, but they seem to be in the right place at the wrong time. That can be schematics (which I am not writing about Joe in this blog - we will leave that for a future blog), or just instinct. Hearing the coaches saying Nixon will be playing a lot of nickel makes me a little worried. Similarly, Allen Rossum was a fantastic returner, but not a good situation if he is playing big snaps at corner.

The Packers need to add a veteran presence in the secondary that is someone that has played a lot of football and has a deep understanding for reading defenses and quarterbacks.

Someone with instinct. (or if Charles Woodson wants to come back anytime)

Some free agents out there that can add depth in the secondary:

Rock Ya-Sin CB

Shaquill Griffin CB

Bryce Callahan CB

Adrian Amos S

Rodney McLeod S

Free agency is hard in Green Bay, especially without the lure of playing with A-Rod.

Trade if you must, or draft a stud if he falls to you. But Guty has to do something.