The Green Bay Packers’ defense took a big step forward under first-year coordinator Jeff Hafley.
They finished fifth in total defense, their highest ranking since they won Super Bowl XLV in 2010. They also finished sixth in scoring defense, allowing just 19.9 points per game, the fewest they’ve surrendered in over a decade. Green Bay also jumped from 27th to seventh in defensive DVOA, ranking fourth in EPA per play, fourth in EPA against the pass, and 10th in EPA against the run.
Green Bay fielded a productive defense in 2024 despite missing Jaire Alexander for most of the season and finishing 27th in pass-rush win rate. Still, the Packers had to add reinforcements to have a realistic chance of making the leap from good to great in 2025.
The Packers added Nate Hobbs in free agency and drafted Barryn Sorrell, Collin Oliver, Warren Brinson, and Micah Robinson. However, the nature of their offseason moves underscores how much trust Green Bay is placing in Hafley to elevate and maximize talent across all levels of the defense.
There was early offseason speculation about whether the Packers should trade for Maxx Crosby or Myles Garrett. Green Bay posted 45 sacks last season, but they recorded 20 of those in three games. Fans thought the team would target a top-tier edge rusher to complement Rashan Gary, who has not yet established himself as a game-changer.
Instead, the Packers brought fresh talent for the rotation through the draft. While Gary remains a solid edge rusher, and rookies Oliver and Sorrell are talented, Green Bay is still without an elite edge rusher. The onus is on Hafley to get creative with his defensive looks and help these players reach their full potential.
Green Bay’s cornerback room was exposed when Jaire Alexander tore his PCL. Without Alexander, the Packers had no answers for Justin Jefferson, Amon-Ra St. Brown, A.J. Brown, and Jordan Addison. Through 14 weeks, Nixon and Stokes allowed a passer rating of 71.6 while Alexander was on the field, but that number spiked to 111.6 without him.
With Alexander’s future uncertain, cornerback was arguably Green Bay’s most pressing offseason need. Nate Hobbs was a solid addition in free agency, but he has primarily played in the slot. Throughout most of the pre-draft process, cornerback had top-two odds to be the first position Green Bay would address. However, they waited until the seventh round to add to the position.
The 2025 draft highlighted the difference between fan perception and how NFL teams evaluate talent. While many believed the Packers needed to urgently address the secondary, Green Bay’s lack of moves at the position spoke to how highly they regard their current group – and even more so, how much trust they’re placing in Hafley to develop and maximize that talent.
“I would say definitely,” Matt LaFleur said when asked whether Jeff Hafley’s background coaching defensive backs was crucial in Green Bay’s decision to hire him. “Especially in this league, it’s such a pass-dominant league. That was definitely one of the most appealing things to me – his ability to lead from the back end. But I think he’s got a great knowledge base on all three levels.”
Keisean Nixon and Hobbs are the only cornerbacks on Green Bay’s roster with more than two seasons of experience, and both have primarily played in the slot. As a result, the Packers have a less-than-ideal outlook for their starting outside corners.
Alexander’s time in Green Bay may be ending, and the team also lost its second-best linebacker, Eric Wilson, in free agency. While the Packers still have talent across all three defensive phases, the responsibility again falls on Jeff Hafley to elevate the unit and help it take the next step from good to great.
