A few things stand out ahead of the Green Bay Packers’ 2023 NFL season. Jordan Love has become one of the most promising young quarterbacks in the league. The team also quickly changed the attacker’s identity. New players from wide receiver to tight end have made great strides on offense. With most of the offensive core expected to return, the defense heads into 2024 with some questions.Packers 2023 defense overviewold and newJoe Barry is gone.
His successor has yet to be determined, but the impact of this hire on Matt Lafleur and the team is significant. If the Packers move away from home to replace Barry, their defensive scheme could change. Whoever occupies that position has a job to do. Kenny Clark, one of the most experienced veterans on the team, had a good year. Clark has 7.5 sacks in 17 games (per Pro Football Reference). Keeping other players like Davonte Wyatt comfortable has been a major focus for Green Bay. White saw twice as many snaps with him in his rookie season in 2022.
White was the player expected to be a top candidate, but the Packers saw production from other players on the defensive line. T. J. Slaton saw his snap count increase in his third year in Green Bay. Slaton didn’t fill the stat sheet with a sack, but his solid play was evident all year. Having Slaton in the rotation frees up players like Rashaan Gary and Preston Smith to do what they do best.
Gary and Smith combined for 17 sacks. Clark, Gary and Smith accounted for more than half of the defense’s 45 sacks. Seeing the growth of young players and consistent production from star players is one of the reasons the Packers are optimistic about the progression of the core players. High school questions answeredHowever, secondary issues remain important. After trading Rasul Douglas to Buffalo, Green Bay relied on a slew of young players in key moments in the second period.
Darnell Savage Jr. has redeemed himself with a career resurgence, but is playing on a contract rescheduled to 2023, meaning a potential split for both sides. Even if Savage plays better in 2023, his future in Green Bay is not guaranteed. Other notable free agents on defense include Keysian Nixon, Rudy Ford and Corey Ballentine.Add to that the recent mixed messages from Jaire Alexander, and the Packers could see a new face in the secondary. Looking at the 2024 cornerback class in the upcoming draft, Green Bay is in a great position to add to their defensive back.
The additional draft capital from the Aaron Rodgers trade and the Douglas trade will help the Packers manipulate the draft board to secure top talent. It is not sufficient for executionFixing the run defense will be a top priority for Green Bay. The secondary uncertainty leaves seven important questions for the Packers to answer. Relying mainly on young and inexperienced linebackers, Green Bay was weak in operations.
According to ESPN, the Packers have the fifth-worst defense in the NFL. This was primarily a byproduct of the linebackers. The Quay Walker exterior left a lot to be desired. De’Vondre Campbell appears to have taken a step back and is battling injuries for the second straight season. Production also declined. Campbell was used sparingly as a blitzer, but played fewer snaps than before.
He also allowed too many yards on completions in coverage. It would be expensive to get rid of Campbell, but he seems almost certain to have a smaller role going forward. It will be very interesting for the new defensive coordinator to see how Campbell and other linemen fit into his scheme. However, the Packers need to work on improving their run defense.Overall, Green Bay’s defense ranks in the top 10 in scoring in 2023.
While they weren’t very strong in terms of yards allowed, their total punt differential also ranked 10th in the NFL. A potential change in defensive philosophy along with the added capital should help the Packers improve their defense midway through the season. Looking at the Packers’ 2023 defense, it’s clear there’s still a lot of work to do.
