Packer 2022 Defense Thoughts

[LombardiTime]

I apologize if there is another thread already started about JUST THE DEFENSE heading into 2022, but I am so pumped about this unit for like the first time in forever, that I figured it was worth its own thread.

First, I never dreamed that Preston Smith, De'Vondre Campbell, and Rasul Douglas would all be returning to the defense. A positive byproduct of the Adams trade.

Second I see 9 + starters on the defense in Gary, P. Smith, Clark, Campbell, Alexander, Stokes, Douglas, Amos, and Savage.

Third, I was never a Kevin King or Chandon Sullivan fan and always believed a top QB could and did find and take advantage of them when needed. I don't think that will be the case with the Alexander-Stokes-Douglas trio at CB.

Finally, if Gutey could somehow add someone better to replace Lowry, or at least take away some of his snaps, and if Slaton takes another step forward, wow this D could be really special.

Oh, and this is BEFORE Gutey adds a player, or two, or three in the upcoming draft who might contribute to the defense this season.

Do any of the draftniks have a name or two in mind who might be available in rounds 1-2 who could step in and actually contribute next to Clark in 2022? (I know defensive lineman often take some time to show up).

Really exciting IMO.

[RingoCStarrQB]

If Gutey could draft a defensive lineman capable of starting Day One ........... that would be great. Cuz Kenny Clark really needs to get some help up front. Too bad Montravious Adams wasn't the answer. We need to find the next Cullen Jenkins and Ryan Pickett. Or at least another Grady Jackson or Santana Dotson.

[Pugger]

I wouldn't be opposed to bring Mercilus back for another year. I heard he was a natural leader in the clubhouse. A guy like that could be valuable now that Z is gone.

[BF004]

I wouldn't be opposed to bring Mercilus back for another year. I heard he was a natural leader in the clubhouse. A guy like that could be valuable now that Z is gone.

Maybe just me, but if we are gunna spend some money. Id rather bring back Za’Darius than to get something from this mediocre lot of WRs remaining.

Should know Z’s price tag now and it isn’t too bad.

I’d wait and get a bargain deal on the WR’s, I wouldn’t chase any of them.


With with Z, just flat out of excuses for this D to not be a top 5 unit.

[Foosball]

I’d like to see a safety drafted in the first 3 rounds. The Packers could use some help there. Savage has struggled and if he doesn’t improve, I could see him gone after next season.

[flapackfan]

A slot corner. I don't think Shields, Douglas,or Alexander are built for the inside.

[Scott4Pack]

Help for Clark, for sure.

Don’t be surprised in Lowry hasn’t found something this past season. He’s only be a good depth guy in the past. But he stepped up this past year and played pretty well. Hope it wasn’t just a contract talking.

I also expect Savage to step up this year, from last year. But it’d be great to draft a potential starter too. Do the both/and thing.

I agree about Mercilus. Would love to see him back.

As for Z, I’m wondering if teams now will be wary of his back injury, as would be normal for a pass rusher. Maybe he could come back on a reasonable deal.

[BF004]

I’d like to see a safety drafted in the first 3 rounds. The Packers could use some help there. Savage has struggled and if he doesn’t improve, I could see him gone after next season.

I definitely agree with the premise we should be developing a next starting safety, I’d be shocked if we don’t pick up Savage’s 5th year option, which should happen in like a month.

Estimated at 7.9 million. Worth that risk giving such a young talent a little more time.

https://overthecap.com/fifth-year-option-projections/

[Yoop]

a lock down CB allows a FS to roam more and jump routes, we had that 2 years ago and Savage was all over the place making play after play after outstanding play, suspect boundry coverage ( King was pretty good most of the season) insure they'll have to play more risk averse, which was the case at least early last year, and Barry probably never really felt comfortable leaving Stokes or Douglas without backup support, having Alexander back may free Savage up more, ya don't go from playing as good as he looked in 2020 to last year without a reason, getting Alex back and another off season for both Stokes and Douglas and we should see the 2020 Savage again.

[go pak go]

I wouldn't be opposed to bring Mercilus back for another year. I heard he was a natural leader in the clubhouse. A guy like that could be valuable now that Z is gone.

Maybe just me, but if we are gunna spend some money. Id rather bring back Za’Darius than to get something from this mediocre lot of WRs remaining.

Should know Z’s price tag now and it isn’t too bad.

I’d wait and get a bargain deal on the WR’s, I wouldn’t chase any of them.


With with Z, just flat out of excuses for this D to not be a top 5 unit.

Fully agree. WR is a poor use of money. I am all for brining MVS back on a modest $5 to $7 million deal. But anything else I want to add to defense.

I think either Z/Mercilus or a defensive lineman is the way to go.

As for the draft, once again I am all for defense. I love the safeties this year in the back of the 1st to 2nd round range. I'm not terribly in love with any of the defensive lineman. The Georgia boys get the recognition but I get worried on drafting players from a defense that has the entire unit "draftable". Wyatt is probably my favorite so far.

Defensive line is really hard to draft and plug and play. I suspect our biggest hope on the Dline this year is Clark, Lowry staying at his 2021 self and Slayton stepping up in his sophomore year.

[Pugger]

I wouldn't be opposed to bring Mercilus back for another year. I heard he was a natural leader in the clubhouse. A guy like that could be valuable now that Z is gone.

Maybe just me, but if we are gunna spend some money. Id rather bring back Za’Darius than to get something from this mediocre lot of WRs remaining.

Should know Z’s price tag now and it isn’t too bad.

I’d wait and get a bargain deal on the WR’s, I wouldn’t chase any of them.


With with Z, just flat out of excuses for this D to not be a top 5 unit.

If Z's price tag isn't high I agree - I'd take him in a minute over Mercilus. Z did turn down the offer from the Ravens so ya never know.

[Realist]

I wouldn't be opposed to bring Mercilus back for another year. I heard he was a natural leader in the clubhouse. A guy like that could be valuable now that Z is gone.

Maybe just me, but if we are gunna spend some money. Id rather bring back Za’Darius than to get something from this mediocre lot of WRs remaining.

Should know Z’s price tag now and it isn’t too bad.

I’d wait and get a bargain deal on the WR’s, I wouldn’t chase any of them.


With with Z, just flat out of excuses for this D to not be a top 5 unit.

If Z's price tag isn't high I agree - I'd take him in a minute over Mercilus. Z did turn down the offer from the Ravens so ya never know.

He backed out of the Ravens deal after he saw what a couple others got. He is looking for the money coming off back surgery. No thanks.

[Yoop]

Maybe just me, but if we are gunna spend some money. Id rather bring back Za’Darius than to get something from this mediocre lot of WRs remaining.

Should know Z’s price tag now and it isn’t too bad.

I’d wait and get a bargain deal on the WR’s, I wouldn’t chase any of them.


With with Z, just flat out of excuses for this D to not be a top 5 unit.

If Z's price tag isn't high I agree - I'd take him in a minute over Mercilus. Z did turn down the offer from the Ravens so ya never know.

He backed out of the Ravens deal after he saw what a couple others got. He is looking for the money coming off back surgery. No thanks.

yep, that was a low end contract for what he did his first two seasons with us, but being on IR all of last year teams will be skittish to offer big money on a long term deal, maybe he'd accept a performance laden contract from us, specially since we'll probably win the next couple SB's and he'll get some jewelry

Get the Smith Bros. Gary, Clark, Wyatt, Mercilus, together and we could truly see some Quarterback abuse

[LombardiTime]

Clark-Lowry-Reed-Slaton.

Best Packer defensive line, on papers, since ___?

And this is before the draft.

I expect another to be added with one of the 7 picks in rounds 1-4.

Would really like a Mercilus like addition at OLB.

[Drj820]

Kenny must love Jarran

[RingoCStarrQB]

Clark-Lowry-Reed-Slaton.

Best Packer defensive line, on papers, since ___?

And this is before the draft.

I expect another to be added with one of the 7 picks in rounds 1-4.

Would really like a Mercilus like addition at OLB.

....... since Pickett, Raji, Jenkins, Green, Wilson and Wynn. 3 All-Pros on that 2010 defense, one on each level ........... Woodson, Matthews and Collins. Reminiscent of the days of when the Packers D had two on each level: Jordan, Davis, Nitschke, Currie, Forester, Robinson, Wood and Adderley.

[YoHoChecko]

There are a handful of guys in this draft who project as safeties but played primarily or a lot of slot corner in college.

I'd LOVE to get a Jalen Pitre from Baylor or Verone McKinney III from Oregon and a couple other similar guys whose names I can't remember right now. Cam Taylor-Britt might be one, but I might be confusing him with someone else. Anyway, that guy could rotate into the slot position in year one and help fill that void, while also developing as a potential starting safety down the road. It's really, to me, the missing piece on this defense at present--a strong slot CB and safety depth all in one piece.

The rest, yeah, add a pass rusher (in addition to Mercilus; probably in the draft), add DL depth, add LB depth. But the starters are in good shape

I'm torn between wanting an athletic edge type pass rusher or a bigger, physical edge who has some inside rush ability, as well (more of a Z type). This defense in its other forms really seemed to value more of a speedy rusher who can also play off-ball than the bulky pass rusher who can also play inside that we had under Pettine and Smith; so I wonder if the calculus changes from what we have previously coveted to now.

[Yoop]

There are a handful of guys in this draft who project as safeties but played primarily or a lot of slot corner in college.

I'd LOVE to get a Jalen Pitre from Baylor or Verone McKinney III from Oregon and a couple other similar guys whose names I can't remember right now. Cam Taylor-Britt might be one, but I might be confusing him with someone else. Anyway, that guy could rotate into the slot position in year one and help fill that void, while also developing as a potential starting safety down the road. It's really, to me, the missing piece on this defense at present--a strong slot CB and safety depth all in one piece.

The rest, yeah, add a pass rusher (in addition to Mercilus; probably in the draft), add DL depth, add LB depth. But the starters are in good shape

I'm torn between wanting an athletic edge type pass rusher or a bigger, physical edge who has some inside rush ability, as well (more of a Z type). This defense in its other forms really seemed to value more of a speedy rusher who can also play off-ball than the bulky pass rusher who can also play inside that we had under Pettine and Smith; so I wonder if the calculus changes from what we have previously coveted to now.

Barry it seems would rather the off ball lbers do the covering and keep the edge rushers to do what they do best, versus the 2020 Pettine who dropped P Smith 30% of the time, it hurt Preston as a pass rusher, not everyone can handle those assignments and Preston last year showed how much better he is focused on the3 one task.

we have two very good safety's, Savage will do much better when he's allowed more freedom, having a genuine lock down corner in Alexander should do that, last year he looked like a dog on a leash, imo Barry didn't trust Rookie Stokes or the newly aquired Douglas so Savage was locked into backing them up more, obviously he watched King get torched without backup support and was not going allow that to happen under his watch

why others can't or wont recognize how the ability of a FS changes depending on the ability of the boundary CB is beyond me, but it certainly does, a FS can roam much more when one or both edge defenders have the ability to shut down there opponent, now that might not explain all of the short comings of Savage, but imo it does for most of his.

[Drj820]

Z must have really loved Pettine.

Barry, not so much.

It seems.

[LombardiTime]

Thought Lowry & Barnes were the only below average projected starters.

Signing of Reed already improved the DT position. Wyatt is a huge talent upgrade. Slaton might be something.

Getting an athlete like Walker is also a potential huge upgrade at ILB ... this season.

No comment on the receiving corps.