Packers Pass Rush Will Be Better Than You Think
There has been a lot of concern about the Green Bay Packers' pass rush, but here's why you shouldn't worry.
There has been plenty of talk this offseason about the pass rush of the Green Bay Packers. Many have wondered why general manager Brian Gutekunst didn't do more to address it, either in the NFL draft or free agency.
Obviously, the 2018 draft class was a little thing when it came to pass rushers. The Packers also had two really good cornerbacks fall into their lap. That was a position of need, even bigger than edge rusher and Gutekunst was smart to address it, while also getting a future first-round pick.
Certainly, there is some reason to worry. Clay Matthews and Nick Perry are the Packers top edge rushers and when healthy, both have proven to be very good. However, injuries have also been a frequent issue for both, leaving Green Bay at the mercy of injury once again.
The depth might not be bad, but it will depend largely on the development of Kyler Fackrell, Vince Biegel and Reggie Gilbert. With that in mind, it's easy to be a little trepidatious.
However, in terms of raw talent, the Packers have more than enough to be good. In fact, they have enough to win a Super Bowl.
Some might find that statement laughable. But if so, look back at 2010, when the Packers won a Super Bowl with a pass rush that had two stars and a bunch of nobody's.
Matthews and B.J. Raji were the two main pass rushers on that team. Clay, who was in his prime then, finished with 13.5 sacks. Raji had 6.5. But outside of those two, Green Bay relied on the likes of Erik Walden and Frank Zombo to get pressure. Ryan Pickett and Howard Green were the other interior pass rushers. Charles Woodson and Desmond Bishop also generated pressure on blitzes, but looking back, Green Bay was far from loaded with edge rushers.
Yet, that team was still good enough to win it all. Of course, the run defense was stout and the secondary was loaded with Woodson, Nick Collins, Sam Shields and Tramon Williams. Aaron Rodgers was also at his all-time best.
Still, the Packers had a productive pass rush that season, with a group that has arguably less talent than the Packers will have in 2018.
Matthews isn't what he used to be. But Mike Pettine will find a way to use him, especially on blitzes inside, which I believe is Matthews specialty. And Perry is legit when he can avoid injury.
That 2010 team didn't have a second edge rusher like Perry. And if Biegel or Fackrell can develop into reliable depth, that should be more than enough, particularly with the Packers wealth of interior rushers.
Mike Daniels is already among the best in the business at getting to the quarterback from inside. Kenny Clark is also coming along, notching 4.5 sacks in the final five games of 2017. Add Muhammad Wilkerson, who can rush from the edge and inside and suddenly, the Packers pass rush doesn't look so bad.
Green Bay has a good chance to be a Super Bowl contender in 2018 and when the season rolls around, the pass rush will be a big reason why.
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Chris is a sports journalist from Montana and has been blogging about the Packers since 2011. Chris has been a staff writer for CheeseheadTV since 2017 and looks forward to the day when Aaron Rodgers wins his second Super Bowl. Follow him @thepackersguru
Comments (17)
Packer_Fan
June 08, 2018 at 01:01 pm
I agree that the Packer rush will be better. I like what BG is doing. He delivered with five, count them, CB's who either are capable or are on the upside for 2-3 spots. That is going to help. A better scheme will help. And players that are playing for coach that time hasn't passed him by. All of these things will make the defense better.
Rak43
June 08, 2018 at 02:38 pm
Idk why everyone is so worried about an outside rush. This is not Caper's 3-4 front, in fact I expect to see more 4-3 and Nickel based on their personnel currently on the roster. Pettine has shown great flexibility over the years in mixing up his fronts and I expect this year will be no different. I can see him putting Wilkerson,Lowry, Daniels, and Clark on the field at the same time with options at LB in Mathews,Perry,Martinez, Gilbert, Biegel,and Burks. The Packers have a lot of talent on defense and those who doubt or question will see soon enough that it was Caper's overly complex and antiquated scheme that held most of the young talent back. On another note I still think people are sleeping on Gilbert, even in the article above he is only mentioned in passing while the author mentions Biegel and Fackrell twice. I hope they all develop but I wouldn't count on it with Fackrell who is like 28 years old now. But yet the draft picks are always mentioned first even though they're both smaller,slower,less powerful setting an edge and don't have the production combined of Gilbert in his very limited time on the field. A real head scratcher to me for sure. Anyway I expect Big things from the defense this year under Pettine as well as marked improvement by both Biegel and Gilbert.
hodge555
June 08, 2018 at 04:31 pm
Fackrell is 26 but I get your point.
For reference Nick Perry is actually 28, Reggie Gilbert is 25 and Vince Biegel will be 25 at the beginning of July.
Rak43
June 08, 2018 at 09:37 pm
You're correct Sir, although Fackrell will be 27 soon and Gilbert just turned 25. Almost 2 years difference in their ages. Same with Biegel as he and Gilbert are only 2 months apart.
holmesmd
June 09, 2018 at 08:47 pm
Yes, and Fackrell sucks...which is the point. Total bust. Never got the draft pick when it happened:/
Shaunzor5212
June 08, 2018 at 03:13 pm
What about Cullen Jenkins? I felt like he was a huge part of the pass rush that year. He had 7 sacks and 18 pressures. I like the optimism though!
GBPDAN1
June 08, 2018 at 06:06 pm
I agree. Jenkins was a very valuable contributor that year and should have been signed for 2011. He could have been signed to a reasonable contract, but, TT dropped the ball.
The other significant factor was we had one of the best D-backfields in football in 2010. It was harder for receivers to get open which helped the pass rush. We had 2 difference makers, all pros, in Woodson and Collins. Sheids was good and so was William's ( and 8 years younger).
I'm not saying that our current DBs can't be good, but, there are a lot of uncertainties. We have 2 rookies who never played a down yet and will take time to develop. King is coming of shoulder surgery and is somewhat inexperienced. Can Jones fill Morgan Burnett's place? Will HHCD bounce back?
I believe we will have a very good secondary, but it will take time. I hope you are right, I hope everything pans out and we are in the SB. I hope Adam's doesn't get hurt, because our receiving corp is not what it was in 2010. We had a lot of experienced , quality, receivers back then.
I'm excited about our new D coordinator. I believe he will get the most out of the talent we have.
ChrisPeterson
June 08, 2018 at 07:07 pm
Yeah can't believe I forgot about him. Lol. Dumb. Yeah he was outstanding. But still. Think there is more talent now.
Bearmeat
June 13, 2018 at 09:40 am
Sorry Chris, but you're off your rocker here IMO. CM3 in the middle of his roids (and an All Pro who should have been DPOY in 2010). Jenkins who was an excellent pass rusher - probably a better version of Mike Daniels right now. And Raji collapsing the pocket from the inside, PLUS Woodson bringing it from the slot. That pass rush had 4 excellent options, which is WAY more talent than the 2018 version will have.
This pass rush from the OLB spot has 2 halfway not sucky ones - and that's when they're healthy. Depending on Beigel, Fackrell and Gilbert is INSANE. Until they prove it, they're complementary players at best.
The pass rush is going to have to come from the DL and whatever blitzes Pettine can come up with. I don't think our OLB position will even be league average this year, and it is more likely to be bottom 10 than top 10.
Lare
June 08, 2018 at 04:10 pm
I do think Pettine will get the best from the players he has to work with. The question is if that's enough this first year. Gutekunst wasn't given a whole lot of defensive talent when he took over, he's done a lot to improve them in several areas.
Hopefully they can escape the injury bug and have a successful winning season. I'd be happy with that, getting into a Super Bowl would probably exceed most people's expectations.
Since'61
June 08, 2018 at 10:42 pm
I expect the pass rush to be better. But it will be better from the interior pass rush than from the edge rushers. In the last Pettine's defenses have generated pressure from the interior and the ILBs. He keeps the offense honest with CB blitzes from the outside but he likes to generate pressure up the middle.
Besides Daniels. Clark and Mo he will rotate ILBs into the pass rush with Josh Jones, Burks and probably CM3. I will be interested to see how Pettine uses Perry. Maybe he will be a 4th DL or maybe he'll be a stand up edge or a combo of both. We'll see. Either way I'm expecting a better pass rush making opposing QBs uncomfortable. Thanks, Since '61
PatrickGB
June 09, 2018 at 08:36 am
If I remember right, both Perry and Gilbert were both DEs in college and both had to drop weight and spend a bit of time learning to be OLBs. Perhaps they can supplement the line as faster DEs on occasion and keep the opposing team off balance?
I am trying real hard to be hopeful ;-)
Andrew Lloyd Peth
June 09, 2018 at 10:07 am
Excellent article.
I would add that Lowry and Adams provide strong depth and punch up front.
dblbogey
June 09, 2018 at 06:04 pm
Agree that Lowry was solid depth, but Adams did nothing and is a complete unknown. Hope he develops but I wouldn't be counting on it.
LambeauPlain
June 11, 2018 at 12:50 pm
Yeah, yet in the 2017 draft Adams was one of the top rated DL. Very productive in college.
Last year was virtually a redshirt year. And he did not get many reps in Capers complex D
He did have plenty of reps in the weight room, though. And he will be able to absorb Pettine’s KILL playbook more easily, I believe.
Gianich
June 10, 2018 at 10:47 am
Reggie Gilbert has more than5 sacks... Book it
LambeauPlain
June 11, 2018 at 12:45 pm
I believe the Pack will show almost as much 4 man DL as 3 or 2 man fronts.
When you have Big Mike, Kenny, MoW, Lowery, and Adams....some serious punch on the interior of the front 7 to confuse and pressure the QB.