The Green Bay Packers’ lack of free-agency moves to bolster their pass rush signals confidence in their current roster.
“We can do everything we need to do through the players we have on our roster right now,” Brian Gutekunst said at the annual owners meeting.
Gutekunst’s confidence places pressure on DeMarcus Covington to develop the pass-rush unit. The Packers hired Covington in January; he previously coached the New England Patriots’ defensive line from 2020 to 2023, with mixed results.
- 2023: 13th in pass-rush win rate, first in run defense (3.3 yards per carry allowed)
- 2022: seventh in pressure rate, fourth in run defense.
- 2021: 11th in pressure rate, 26th in run defense.
- 2020: Fifth in pressure rate
Covington must improve a unit that ranked 26th in pass-rush win rate in 2024 despite 45 total sacks – 20 of which came in three games.
The Packers have made two major investments at edge rusher: Rashan Gary, re-signed to a four-year, $96 million deal in October 2023, and Lukas Van Ness, their first-round pick in 2023. Gary ranked 31st in pressures last season, while Van Ness posted just 38 pressures over the past two years. In comparison, the New York Jets took Will McDonald IV two spots after Van Ness, and he recorded 61 pressures in 2024 alone.
Keisean Nixon had the same sack total as Van Ness. Moreover, Brenton Cox Jr., Kingsley Enagbare, and Arron Mosby have mostly been rotational pieces at best.
On the interior, Kenny Clark only recorded one sack last season. Devonte Wyatt, who missed 10 games, has totaled 10 sacks in three seasons. Karl Brooks and Colby Wooden provided depth but lacked consistency.
Green Bay will likely target a defensive lineman early in this year’s draft. Gary will remain the undisputed starter, with Van Ness, Enagbare, and potentially a rookie rotating in. However, the Packers will enter the 2025 season without a true game wrecker, whether on the edge or in the interior.
Everyone on the defensive line heading into 2025 should have a strong sense of urgency. The Packers will face tough decisions next offseason, and Clark could become a cap casualty. Green Bay could free up over $20 million in cap space by releasing or trading him post-June 1. Clark will turn 30 this year and registered his lowest pressure and sack totals since 2020. Devonte Wyatt also faces pressure to have a breakout season if he hopes to secure a second contract.
On the edge, Van Ness will be dangerously close to “bust” territory if he doesn’t show substantial improvement in 2025.
The debate surrounding Green Bay’s pass rush highlights the interesting contrast between fan expectations and how NFL teams evaluate their players. Packer fans almost unanimously agreed that the team needed to upgrade the defensive line in March and April. Yet Brian Gutekunst voiced confidence in their current group.
When analyzing the current state of Green Bay’s defensive line, it was reasonable to expect the team to make moves in free agency and the draft to strengthen the unit. However, they chose to stay put in March, signaling confidence in their current pass rushers and a strong belief in DeMarcus Covington’s ability to develop the group.
Gutekunst’s decision not to overpay for an external pass rusher underscores his trust in Covington to get the desired results from the current roster. His choice emphasizes Green Bay’s commitment to internal development over seeking outside reinforcements.
