Even though the Green Bay Packers’ defense will have much more continuity than the offense, the defensive line will be different and younger than it was last year. Two of the most experienced players and starters on the unit left in free agency; Dean Lowry signed with the Minnesota Vikings, and Jarran Reed went back to the Seattle Seahawks. Those moves opened the door for the younger players on a squad that hasn’t added anyone free agency to replace the veterans. Therefore, the Packers addressed the need in the draft when they took Colby Wooden and Karl Brooks.
Wooden, in particular, will be an extremely important player for the Packers this season. Immediately, his performance will be an important tool to measure how well the group can play. Generally, it’s not wise to expect so much production from a rookie fourth-rounder, but Green Bay doesn’t have alternatives.
With last year’s first-round pick Devonte Wyatt absent during OTAs, Wooden has had opportunities and practiced with the 1s alongside Kenny Clark and T.J. Slaton. His performance has caught Clark’s attention.
“Colby, he’s been doing good,” Kenny Clark told reporters. “From Day 1, he’s been coming in, and he learned the playbook pretty fast. He’s having a good OTAs. We just need to stay on top of him and keep going.”
Wooden’s ability to learn the defense and his attitude were big factors for head coach Matt LaFleur, who mentioned the rookie among names of players who exceeded expectations during the offseason activities. There’s obviously a long way to go, with the mandatory minicamp, training camp, and preseason on the horizon, but what he can put on tape is not exactly a surprising development.
According to NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein, Colby Wooden was expected to be a second- or third-round pick. He ended up falling, but mostly because his positional versatility caused him some problems at Auburn. He’s better when playing in the interior. However, he moved to the edge for most of his senior season.
“Wooden is at his most disruptive when attacking from the interior,” Zierlein wrote. “He has a quick first step to attack gaps and threaten the pocket.”
To play at a high level in the league, Wooden will have to develop his run-stuff skills. Zierlein mentioned “he’s unable to sit down and drop a deep anchor against bullies in the run game,” and this is particularly important for Green Bay’s defensive scheme. The Packers frequently play with only two interior defensive linemen. Therefore, run-stopping responsibilities are imperative. Wooden has shown he is strong and explosive enough to make it happen, but he needs to clean up his technique.
Even though Wooden is better in the interior and the Packers listed him as a defensive tackle, he eventually showed that he can also play as an edge defender at Auburn. This won’t be his calling card in Green Bay, but it’s something else he can do to get more playing time. The Packers invested heavily in defensive front versatility in the draft. Lukas Van Ness, Wooden, and Brooks have a lot of experience playing both inside and outside. Plus, exploring different lineups will be a fun exercise for defensive coordinator Joe Barry.
Historically, the Packers have been bad at stopping the run. Since Matt LaFleur became the head coach in 2019, they are dead-last in rush EPA allowed. They are ninth in dropback EPA allowed. This indicates a philosophy because Mike Pettine and Joe Barry have prioritized the aerial game. However, the inability to be at least a mediocre run defense has made it impossible for Green Bay to control games.
In 2023, the prospect for improvement isn’t great because the Packers lost two defensive line starters, and one of them, Jarran Reed, was a decent run defender. Moreover, most of the young additions are better equipped to rush the passer than they are to stop the run. This is a big challenge for Colby Wooden. If he can develop this area of his game without losing his pass-rush capabilities, he can become a full-time starter and an immediate impact option for the Packers defense. Lack of opportunities won’t be an issue.
