Packers Roster Assessment, 2025 Off-Season

[OldSchool101]

I don't think Slaton will be missed much, and apparently neither did the Packers. They could have kept him for $7 mil/year ACV. He was very good against the run, and that was it.

That. Plus his snap count diminished substantially by 200 snaps from 2023 compared to last year, 2024 (56% to 39%). Over the last 34 starts (2 full seasons) he had 4 TFL and 5 QB hits. Also 1 Sack. He offered very little in Pass Rush and rarely penetrated into the backfield as noticed by those lower numbers. Now it’s not beat up on Slaton Day because he was an above average Run stop interior block eater. Yet I don’t want to sound like we heavily regressed here.

I like Brinson because he’s still a pretty big dude (315lb) but much more athletic. I recall some film often showing him running QB’s into the sideline. He’s quick for a big man in the mold of Wyatt. Brinson is more balanced between Run/Pass strength. For anything Brinson loses in the Run Stop, He should give us a more aggressive, disruptive feel on their side of the ball. Plus if we desire, his frame can easily hold another 5-10lb as he’s 6’5.2”.

 

[OldSchool101]

Honestly, I think the only path for Hardman to make the team is a two-fold scenario where GB trades a guy away from the WR room AND we keep seven.

I was just going to speak to this moments before I reviewed the thread and saw this.

Let me just say first there is no certain outcome. The WR group imo is the hardest one to predict in this particular season, so anyone making definitive statements about our roster at WR is merely guessing and possibly a wild guess at that. That includes myself.

As far as Hardman not “being good enough to make it on a team”. I think that’s a bit “knee jerking” his scenario in an effort to seemingly diminish him. He was released primarily due to injury. The Jets were hot mess and if he was so bad? Why did Andy Reid part with a 6th Rounder to get him back in 2023 week 6 or whatnot? That didn’t sound like a guy that’s not good enough by KC’s standards. I think we can agree they do a good job of personnel.
He also go resigned in 2024 as their Primary PR and backup KR and gadget player. He has as much value Running with the ball as receiving he’s very talented. He went on IR early December so he missed the last 5 games plus postseason. His primary role was a PR, yet he logged 13 yards shy of 500 all purpose yards. Keep in mind he didn’t even play a full season. How many Packer players logged 500 all purpose across the first 11.5 games?

His ranking at PR in 2024??
with 20 qualifying Returns (he only played 13 games before IR) he ranked #6 leaguewide. Beating out Jayden Reed btw.
Now. He might not make the roster but it’s not because he’s washed up or can’t be reliable enough to stay on a team. The notion that he’s “washed up” is just plain inaccurate imo. Really more of a misrepresentation of facts your honor! If he doesn’t make the initial roster there a coin flip he’s here later if he doesn’t get scooped up by someone else. The reason he won’t make it is someone else ahead of him severely impresses.

Also I’ll add that you might be correct on 7WR part. In my mind I’m not even sure you classify Savion as a pure WR he’s as much a RB as a WR. That gives potential of keeping 7 because Savion fits both bills. I don’t pretend to know if we’d keep 7. My guess is we PS Heath or Melton and possibly 1 of the other bottom feeders also. It will highly likely come down to Camp and Preseadon battles and until then it’s pure guesswork.

 

[gopkrs]

I don't know Savion but to call him a RB has to be a stretch. We have at least 4 good RBs and unless Savion somehow plays like the guy from kc (who is a RB); I just can't see it. Some around ends I guess. Have to see how he does. It appeared to me, based on comments at the time, that he was a reach. I'll be rooting for him to hang on to the ball.

 

[OldSchool101]

I don't know Savion but to call him a RB has to be a stretch. We have at least 4 good RBs and unless Savion somehow plays like the guy from kc (who is a RB); I just can't see it. Some around ends I guess. Have to see how he does. It appeared to me, based on comments at the time, that he was a reach. I'll be rooting for him to hang on to the ball.

The point there was not to designate him as a RB. The point was to justify keeping a 7th at WR because he can serve as a depth piece at RB for security. Actually some pretty reliable scouting reports had him squarely where he was drafted in the 3rd-4th round. Savion was a hard one to peg though almost everyone exclusively said he needs to be in the correct system and have a play caller who understands how to utilize his strengths. That part will fall on MLF and Co. Savion is a 3rd Round level boom or bust luxury selection.

 

[Heyjoe4]

That. Plus his snap count diminished substantially by 200 snaps from 2023 compared to last year, 2024 (56% to 39%). Over the last 34 starts (2 full seasons) he had 4 TFL and 5 QB hits. Also 1 Sack. He offered very little in Pass Rush and rarely penetrated into the backfield as noticed by those lower numbers. Now it’s not beat up on Slaton Day because he was an above average Run stop interior block eater. Yet I don’t want to sound like we heavily regressed here.

I like Brinson because he’s still a pretty big dude (315lb) but much more athletic. I recall some film often showing him running QB’s into the sideline. He’s quick for a big man in the mold of Wyatt. Brinson is more balanced between Run/Pass strength. For anything Brinson loses in the Run Stop, He should give us a more aggressive, disruptive feel on their side of the ball. Plus if we desire, his frame can easily hold another 5-10lb as he’s 6’5.2”.

It's sorta funny to talk about a guy who is 6'5" and 315 lbs capable of adding another 5-10 lbs easily. It's just mind boggling how big these offensive and defensive linemen have become, and how fast most of them are.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Heyjoe4]

The point there was not to designate him as a RB. The point was to justify keeping a 7th at WR because he can serve as a depth piece at RB for security. Actually some pretty reliable scouting reports had him squarely where he was drafted in the 3rd-4th round. Savion was a hard one to peg though almost everyone exclusively said he needs to be in the correct system and have a play caller who understands how to utilize his strengths. That part will fall on MLF and Co. Savion is a 3rd Round level boom or bust luxury selection.

I don't think Gluten looks at any 3rd-round pick as a "luxury", especially in a year where he had fewer picks, and a lot of gaps to fill. I expect Williams to produce sooner rather than later, and I'm betting that's how Gluten and MLF see him as well.

As for RB v WR, he's a WR. Now Deebo Samuel is a WR as well, but he plays RB a lot. I'm not saying Williams is the next Deebo Samuels. Williams will be used in the run game, but primarily sweeps, maybe short screens. RB is a punishing position, even fore guys built to play it.

 

[SudsMcBucky]

The point there was not to designate him as a RB. The point was to justify keeping a 7th at WR because he can serve as a depth piece at RB for security. Actually some pretty reliable scouting reports had him squarely where he was drafted in the 3rd-4th round. Savion was a hard one to peg though almost everyone exclusively said he needs to be in the correct system and have a play caller who understands how to utilize his strengths. That part will fall on MLF and Co. Savion is a 3rd Round level boom or bust luxury selection.

Exactly. You could potentially look at it as 1/2 WR spot, 1/2 RB spot, depending on how MLF is looking to utilize him.

 

[Pkrjones]

Imho there's no way GB can carry 7 WR's on the roster. There are too many talented players at RB ( Jacobs, Wildon, Lloyd, Brooks), TE (Kraft, Musgrave), QB (Love, Willis), OL (Walker, Morgan, Banks, Jenkins, Rhyan, Tom, Belton, Telfort, Monk, Banks, Glover, D. Jennings).

Savion Williams most likely will make the 53 man roster, but he'll need to carve a role on ST's as returner and/or gunner, and show enough on offense that he can be plugged in if injuries strike.

There will be a battle for #6 WR between Hardman, Heath, Melton & the other young guys while Watson sits on PUP.

 

[Krabs]

Too bad only one of those speed merchants will be seeing the field consistently. Hardman is by no means a lock to make the team. He will be battling Malik Heath and Bo Melton for the 6th WR spot. I think Heath has the edge because he's the best blocker.

I was thinking the same thing about Hardman. They brought him in on a cheap contract for a special teams role. Williams could easily fill that role. I also like Heath and Melton better. Honestly, I'm not sure why they brought him in.

Watson will be out until week 10 or later which leaves Golden as the speed freak for most of the season. If you double or triple up on speed, then who do you leave out? Fewer snaps for Wicks, Doubs or Reed may actually make the offense more predictable.

 

[Curly Calhoun]

Imho there's no way GB can carry 7 WR's on the roster. There are too many talented players at RB ( Jacobs, Wildon, Lloyd, Brooks), TE (Kraft, Musgrave), QB (Love, Willis), OL (Walker, Morgan, Banks, Jenkins, Rhyan, Tom, Belton, Telfort, Monk, Banks, Glover, D. Jennings).

Savion Williams most likely will make the 53 man roster, but he'll need to carve a role on ST's as returner and/or gunner, and show enough on offense that he can be plugged in if injuries strike.

There will be a battle for #6 WR between Hardman, Heath, Melton & the other young guys while Watson sits on PUP.

It's a good problem to have - Competition makes your team better.

 

[Krabs]

Ok, post draft:

5: The position is strong in regards to both starters and depth
4: The position is set, but the starter(s) is/are a little underwhelming, or the depth isn't ideal
3: The position is serviceable, but ideally the starter(s) and/or the depth would be replaced.
2: The starter(s) and/or depth is going to be a problem over the course of the season.
1: It's a disaster area.

Quarterback-- 4: Until Love has a chance to prove that the regression in 2024 was more about injury than anything else, this remains a 4 rather than a 5. That said, the QB2 is strong (for now) in Willis and nothing else much matters at this position.

I get your reasoning for a 4, but it is a 5. The starter is strong and the depth is good. IMO, one of the better 1-2 QB rooms in the league.

Running Back-- 5: Jacobs is a high end starter and there are three guys who have proven capable pushing for roster spots in Lloyd, Wilson, and Brooks. They also brought in two interesting, talented players as UDFA to fill out the practice squad.

Tight End-- 4: Kraft is an exciting, emerging TE1. There's a chance that this position proves to be a 5 if Musgrave starts to make good on his promise this season, but it remains to be seen if that will happen. They do have a nice competition going on for the blocking role between John Fitzpatrick and Ben Sims.

Spot on. I really like this group. Just a few years ago was a huge weakness.

Wide Receiver-- 4: The absence of an established "go-to" receiver keeps this from being a 5, but the Packers have a great mix of skill-sets and excellent depth.

Offensive Line-- 5: The Packers' OL was good last year. Then they replaced far and away their worst starter with a strong FA. Plus they are bolstering their two weakest spots, LT and RG, with strong competition.

Defensive Tackle-- 3: Clark should be capable as the lead 1T, but the depth behind him is completely unproven plus he's aging. It's time for Wyatt is pay off as the starting 3T, but we haven't seen him do that yet. Karl Brooks and Colby Wooden also failed to show serious progress behind him.

I was very disappointed that they didn't do much here. Clark and Wyatt are solid starters. I'm not much of a believer in the rest of the group. Brooks and Wooden are not great backups. Brooks is okay. They did bring in a journeyman in Silvera, but this is a pretty weak group. Hopefully, there is a surprise cut out there and the Pack can bolster it a bit. Right now it looks like a recipe to be ran all over on.

Defensive End-- 4: The Packers have capable, base defense starters in Rashan Gary and LVN, plus solid rotators in Cox and Enagbare, plus interesting youth in Sorrell and Oliver. What they lack is a dominant star, which keeps this a 4.

You're much higher on this group than I am. Cox and Enagbare have shown flashes. That's about it. LVN has not taken the step needed. Gary is still just a bull rusher. He hasn't progressed much in terms of beating OTs with different moves to get to the QB. The DT and DE positions make me nervous about this defense.

Linebacker-- 4: Part of me wanted to rate this a 5 based on how Walker came on last season and how good Cooper looked as a rookie, but I think it's more reasonable to wait and see if those flashes were sustainable. I think McDuffie is a great LB3 and the depth is interesting.

I love Cooper and Walker. I'm not a McDuffie guy at all. I can't stand when he's on the field. Hopper seems a bust to me.

Cornerback-- 3: Even if Alexander is gone, the top 3 guys are set. The problem is that behind them there is virutally nothing that anyone should feel comfortable with. It's also unclear whether Alexander will actually be back. Of course, if he is there is no good reason to trust his durability.

Safety-- 5: The Packers have it all at safety. McKinney is an elite starter, Williams is a super promising sidekick, Bullard is a versatile slot defender, and Anderson/Oladapo are both promising guys to fill out the depth chart.

Overall: This roster has the makings of a serious SB contender. They need Love to bounce back and for the young talent to continue to emerge. The focus for the rest of the off-season should be to bolster the depth at DT and CB. Though it's late in the process, we have seen this FO find help in unlikely places before.

 

[gopkrs]

I don't know how Hopper can be a bust. 2nd year and didn't play last year. I thought he was a big hitter in preseason. I hope he's put on a few pounds and is given a chance. I'm anxious to see what he can do.

 

[Krabs]

I don't know how Hopper can be a bust. 2nd year and didn't play last year. I thought he was a big hitter in preseason. I hope he's put on a few pounds and is given a chance. I'm anxious to see what he can do.

Yeah, that's fair. Bust is too strong in this situation. I posted earlier why I don't think he will work out. Hopefully he proves me wrong. I ran into his college tutor while on vacation. He didn't have kind words about his intelligence. I didn't think he played very well last season. Just my take.

 

[Heyjoe4]

Ok, post draft:

5: The position is strong in regards to both starters and depth
4: The position is set, but the starter(s) is/are a little underwhelming, or the depth isn't ideal
3: The position is serviceable, but ideally the starter(s) and/or the depth would be replaced.
2: The starter(s) and/or depth is going to be a problem over the course of the season.
1: It's a disaster area.

Quarterback-- 4: Until Love has a chance to prove that the regression in 2024 was more about injury than anything else, this remains a 4 rather than a 5. That said, the QB2 is strong (for now) in Willis and nothing else much matters at this position.

Running Back-- 5: Jacobs is a high end starter and there are three guys who have proven capable pushing for roster spots in Lloyd, Wilson, and Brooks. They also brought in two interesting, talented players as UDFA to fill out the practice squad.

Tight End-- 4: Kraft is an exciting, emerging TE1. There's a chance that this position proves to be a 5 if Musgrave starts to make good on his promise this season, but it remains to be seen if that will happen. They do have a nice competition going on for the blocking role between John Fitzpatrick and Ben Sims.

Wide Receiver-- 4: The absence of an established "go-to" receiver keeps this from being a 5, but the Packers have a great mix of skill-sets and excellent depth.

Offensive Line-- 5: The Packers' OL was good last year. Then they replaced far and away their worst starter with a strong FA. Plus they are bolstering their two weakest spots, LT and RG, with strong competition.

Defensive Tackle-- 3: Clark should be capable as the lead 1T, but the depth behind him is completely unproven plus he's aging. It's time for Wyatt is pay off as the starting 3T, but we haven't seen him do that yet. Karl Brooks and Colby Wooden also failed to show serious progress behind him.

Defensive End-- 4: The Packers have capable, base defense starters in Rashan Gary and LVN, plus solid rotators in Cox and Enagbare, plus interesting youth in Sorrell and Oliver. What they lack is a dominant star, which keeps this a 4.

Linebacker-- 4: Part of me wanted to rate this a 5 based on how Walker came on last season and how good Cooper looked as a rookie, but I think it's more reasonable to wait and see if those flashes were sustainable. I think McDuffie is a great LB3 and the depth is interesting.

Cornerback-- 3: Even if Alexander is gone, the top 3 guys are set. The problem is that behind them there is virutally nothing that anyone should feel comfortable with. It's also unclear whether Alexander will actually be back. Of course, if he is there is no good reason to trust his durability.

Safety-- 5: The Packers have it all at safety. McKinney is an elite starter, Williams is a super promising sidekick, Bullard is a versatile slot defender, and Anderson/Oladapo are both promising guys to fill out the depth chart.

Overall: This roster has the makings of a serious SB contender. They need Love to bounce back and for the young talent to continue to emerge. The focus for the rest of the off-season should be to bolster the depth at DT and CB. Though it's late in the process, we have seen this FO find help in unlikely places before.

This is a good breakdown and very accurate. I don't have DT and DE rated as highly as you, but they have a new position coach and a couple of rookies. Gluten seems to think he has the guys he needs. That might be true if Gary can regain the consistency of his better years AND LVN starts playing like a #12 pick. LVN just doesn't have flexible hips and he can't "bend" around OTs. Maybe a new coach will help him develop some other techniques. He has (almost) all of the physical attributes, other than flexible hips.

 

[Pkrjones]

This is a good breakdown and very accurate. I don't have DT and DE rated as highly as you, but they have a new position coach and a couple of rookies. Gluten seems to think he has the guys he needs. That might be true if Gary can regain the consistency of his better years AND LVN starts playing like a #12 pick. LVN just doesn't have flexible hips and he can't "bend" around OTs. Maybe a new coach will help him develop some other techniques. He has (almost) all of the physical attributes, other than flexible hips.

LVN has always been a power, strength, & position-flexible player. To expect him, now, to be a bendy edge isn't realistic. He can play inside or outside & be stout, with a pocket-collapsing bull rush. Not too many twitchy, bendy edge rushers who are 275lbs+.

 

[Heyjoe4]

LVN has always been a power, strength, & position-flexible player. To expect him, now, to be a bendy edge isn't realistic. He can play inside or outside & be stout, with a pocket-collapsing bull rush. Not too many twitchy, bendy edge rushers who are 275lbs+.

Yeah he can't become a flexible DE with that body. It's just not in him. He's not built that way.

And I would love to see a guy who can play "inside or outside & be stout, with a pocket-collapsing bull rush". We haven't seen that though the last two years from LVN.

 

[OldSchool101]

Imho there's no way GB can carry 7 WR's on the roster. There are too many talented players at RB ( Jacobs, Wildon, Lloyd, Brooks), TE (Kraft, Musgrave), QB (Love, Willis), OL (Walker, Morgan, Banks, Jenkins, Rhyan, Tom, Belton, Telfort, Monk, Banks, Glover, D. Jennings).

Savion Williams most likely will make the 53 man roster, but he'll need to carve a role on ST's as returner and/or gunner, and show enough on offense that he can be plugged in if injuries strike.

There will be a battle for #6 WR between Hardman, Heath, Melton & the other young guys while Watson sits on PUP.

It’s not that unheard of. We last did it in 2018/2016. Of that list right off the bat they could Practice Squad Brooks. It would be highly debatable that he’d get scooped onto an active Roster imo.

“Just for fun… Who are these 2 players?

Player A
******** is a likable person with high character and an ability to leave a positive impression in draft interviews, but teams will still have to figure out how they want to use him. His hands might not be trustworthy enough to be part of a three-wide-receiver set. ******* can flip fields and change games with his ability in the return game and might be best-utilized in a dynamic, open-minded offensive system that gets the ball in his hands quickly and allows him to use his run after catch talents”

-NFL Comparison
Cordarrelle Patterson

Player B
Developmental wideout who offers an alluring blend of physical gifts and untapped potential. ****** is big, strong and fast but very raw as a route-runner and is unreliable with his hands. His production is uneven as a traditional wideout, but he adds a dynamic kick to the offense as a gadget runner and as a catch-and-run option underneath. He excels on power sweeps and is willful enough for consideration on short-yardage and goal-line carries on direct snaps. The ball skills can be hit-or-miss. but there are flashes to work with on tape. The difference between “siren song” or “pot of gold” could rest in *******technical development and the creativity of his play-caller.

-NFL Comparison
Cordarrelle Patterson

 

[Pkrjones]

My guess is Mecole Hardman (A) & Savion Williams (B)

 

[OldSchool101]

My guess is Mecole Hardman (A) & Savion Williams (B)

Close.

Ty Montgomery and Savion

 

[Voyageur]

A lot of people ask why the Packers wanted Nate Hobbs. The fact is, Bullard isn't as good at nickel back as a lot of people would like to believe. He misread way too many plays. He was erratic at best. Hobbs isn't exactly fast, but he has a nose for the ball and should be able to add a little more middle protection against the pass.

Does this mean Bullard will never be a solid DB? Not at all. He's just not ready because he doesn't understand what he's seeing in front of him and fails to react quick enough to be consistent in coverage.

I also believe this will be a breakout year for Evan Williams. He could well step in and fill the safety spot next to McKinney. Since Bullard can also play in that spot, it gives the Packers some flexible depth.

What still concerns me is the horses to put pressure on QBs up the middle. I honestly don't see it on this roster. That lack of a pass rush can create some serious problems in the secondary. Defenders can only hang with the better receivers so long on plays. They will end up getting beat if the QB has too much time. When that happens, people need to quit blaming the DB for failing on his job and look to why they failed. That lack of pressure up the gut. As far as dependability against the running games, we're really not good enough to get the ball back in the hands of the offense as well as we should be. A good example of this is our 4th down failure rate to stop conversions to first downs. We're well into the lower half of the league, and too a giant step backwards in 2024 compared to 2023. Is this significant? It sure is. You can't score if you can't make those key stops, and the Packers are failing in that area. Here's information on how poorly we're doing compared to 2023. This tells a story as where improvement is necessary.

NFL Football Stats - NFL Team Opponent Fourth Down Conversion Percentage | TeamRankings.com

NFL Football opponent fourth down conversion percentage, by team.

www.teamrankings.com

Granted, we did improve on 3rd down efficiency, but we need to address the 4th down as well. That's just as important if not more so.

NFL Football Stats - NFL Team Opponent Third Down Conversion Percentage | TeamRankings.com

NFL Football opponent third down conversion percentage, by team.

www.teamrankings.com

 

[tynimiller]

Williams broke out already IMO, now it is just can he sustain or get even better. Dude was legit

 

[OldSchool101]

A lot of people ask why the Packers wanted Nate Hobbs. The fact is, Bullard isn't as good at nickel back as a lot of people would like to believe. He misread way too many plays. He was erratic at best. Hobbs isn't exactly fast, but he has a nose for the ball and should be able to add a little more middle protection against the pass.

Does this mean Bullard will never be a solid DB? Not at all. He's just not ready because he doesn't understand what he's seeing in front of him and fails to react quick enough to be consistent in coverage.

I also believe this will be a breakout year for Evan Williams. He could well step in and fill the safety spot next to McKinney. Since Bullard can also play in that spot, it gives the Packers some flexible depth.

What still concerns me is the horses to put pressure on QBs up the middle. I honestly don't see it on this roster. That lack of a pass rush can create some serious problems in the secondary. Defenders can only hang with the better receivers so long on plays. They will end up getting beat if the QB has too much time. When that happens, people need to quit blaming the DB for failing on his job and look to why they failed. That lack of pressure up the gut. As far as dependability against the running games, we're really not good enough to get the ball back in the hands of the offense as well as we should be. A good example of this is our 4th down failure rate to stop conversions to first downs. We're well into the lower half of the league, and too a giant step backwards in 2024 compared to 2023. Is this significant? It sure is. You can't score if you can't make those key stops, and the Packers are failing in that area. Here's information on how poorly we're doing compared to 2023. This tells a story as where improvement is necessary.

NFL Football Stats - NFL Team Opponent Fourth Down Conversion Percentage | TeamRankings.com

NFL Football opponent fourth down conversion percentage, by team.

www.teamrankings.com

Granted, we did improve on 3rd down efficiency, but we need to address the 4th down as well. That's just as important if not more so.

NFL Football Stats - NFL Team Opponent Third Down Conversion Percentage | TeamRankings.com

NFL Football opponent third down conversion percentage, by team.

www.teamrankings.com

Great analysis imo

Bullard looked lost at times just from my eye test. Now granted he’s was Rook with some lofty expectations, so I’m not dismissing him at all he might just need time or Haf might use Javon in a different capacity.
Also Rookies rarely put it all together. Even the good ones like Evan Williams gave up a few missed plays. I recall 1 in the Endzone where there’s was some miscommunication and our opponent scored pretty easily.

All this isn’t to say we’re somehow broken or players are bad. I’m most often speaking to our strengths. It’s wise to explore areas of potential weakness, those tough lessons are how we learn.

As far as Pass Rush? The only thing I will offer is this. I recently saw an interview where Haf spoke to that very question. His response (not word for word) was there are different ways to employ a better pass rush. Not that any 1 player just jumps off a page but several players with better pure pass rush ability were brought in. Don’t pump me for this list it doesn’t mean this is who we are solely relying on it’s more supplement options.

 

[OldSchool101]

Here are a few players who might surprise when given a chance. In the midst of the glitz of Day1-2, GB quietly waited for the gems of a Strong class pushed down through the middle of the draft.


Isaiah Simmons (FA)
As unstable as Simmons has been bouncing around team to team. Imo he’s better when used as a downhill attacking style player. His career-high pass-rush grade of 83.5 and a career-high pass-rush win percentage of 10.9% display this. He was also used more as a pass rusher at Clemson with 26 pressures and 37% success rate.

Colin Oliver (RD5)
In his first 3 College seasons, Oliver posted 23 Sacks. He’s a heat seeking missile when employed properly. His 40 Tackles 40 loss on 130 tackles during this time is what I’d call “Elite”
Will it translate idk? But it’s exceptional grade disruptive ability and Imo, he flew under radar because he missed most of 2024.

Warren Brinson (RD6)
For what we lost with Slaton in Run Stop we gained in versatility. Warren is absolutely a better pure interior Pass Rush grade than TJ was. When Bronson got his chance in a deep Georgia backfield.., he delivered like Carl Malone. In 4 games he posted 22 Tackles and 2 sacks, including the key sack against Alabama in the Championship game. It wasn’t a anomoly either. In the same season he also posted 5 QB hurries against SC, so it just displays his potential. His limited usage left some questions on draft day, but when actively employed he’s shown disruptive ability

Barryn Sorrell (RD4)
In the College Football Playoffs he showed his knack for rising under pressure. Mr Sorrell posted a combined 8 Tackles, 1.5 TFL and 1 Sack across two playoff games.

Edgerrin Cooper

Very possible we see an increased roll involved in creating blitz pressure from our LB or DB groups. His 36 Blitz snaps already have him involved. Yet a slight uptick is still possible into that 60%+ D snaps and 40-50 blitz snaps areas.

 

[Heyjoe4]

Williams broke out already IMO, now it is just can he sustain or get even better. Dude was legit

Agreed. Same for Cooper.

 

[Heyjoe4]

A lot of people ask why the Packers wanted Nate Hobbs. The fact is, Bullard isn't as good at nickel back as a lot of people would like to believe. He misread way too many plays. He was erratic at best. Hobbs isn't exactly fast, but he has a nose for the ball and should be able to add a little more middle protection against the pass.

Does this mean Bullard will never be a solid DB? Not at all. He's just not ready because he doesn't understand what he's seeing in front of him and fails to react quick enough to be consistent in coverage.

I also believe this will be a breakout year for Evan Williams. He could well step in and fill the safety spot next to McKinney. Since Bullard can also play in that spot, it gives the Packers some flexible depth.

What still concerns me is the horses to put pressure on QBs up the middle. I honestly don't see it on this roster. That lack of a pass rush can create some serious problems in the secondary. Defenders can only hang with the better receivers so long on plays. They will end up getting beat if the QB has too much time. When that happens, people need to quit blaming the DB for failing on his job and look to why they failed. That lack of pressure up the gut. As far as dependability against the running games, we're really not good enough to get the ball back in the hands of the offense as well as we should be. A good example of this is our 4th down failure rate to stop conversions to first downs. We're well into the lower half of the league, and too a giant step backwards in 2024 compared to 2023. Is this significant? It sure is. You can't score if you can't make those key stops, and the Packers are failing in that area. Here's information on how poorly we're doing compared to 2023. This tells a story as where improvement is necessary.

NFL Football Stats - NFL Team Opponent Fourth Down Conversion Percentage | TeamRankings.com

NFL Football opponent fourth down conversion percentage, by team.

www.teamrankings.com

Granted, we did improve on 3rd down efficiency, but we need to address the 4th down as well. That's just as important if not more so.

NFL Football Stats - NFL Team Opponent Third Down Conversion Percentage | TeamRankings.com

NFL Football opponent third down conversion percentage, by team.

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Gluten seems content with the DT and Edge guys on the roster. He said as much before the draft. I certainly hope he's right because other than the two, late-round draft picks, the same group is coming back.

I don't see the same thing Gluten sees. I trust his instincts though. He had ample opportunity to take a DT and/or Edge player higher in the draft.

And yes indeed, a strong pass rush makes the secondary a lot better.