2021 Packers defense

[RashanGary]

Key losses:
Kirksey
Lancaster

Likely development:
Sullivan
Gary
Barnes
Martin
Keke
Preston (basically in contract year)
Savage



It looks like a similar group to a year ago. Can the developmental guys improve enough to make them take a step forward? I think so. Top 10 for sure in 2021!

[RashanGary]

Sullivan is an interesting player. 5’10” and about 200 pounds. Tackles and gets physical like a safety. Covers pretty well inside and is at his best with safeties behind him vs being outside on an island. He has really long arms and is extremely explosive as evident by his jumps. He’s played next to the whole starting secondary for a couple years now. He's kind of been a solid slot guy. In 2021 I could see him taking all of those nickel reps vs sharing with Greene/Redmond and rising up as a really good player. He's kind of prototype inside with his toughness and long arms in coverage.

[RashanGary]

Will be interesting how quickly they pick up the defense. I've heard coordinators and players talk about scheme and say a lot of the coverage leverages and concepts are the same. With the offense being in year 3, lafleur should have the option in training camp to lean some of the practice focus toward allowing the defense to get up to speed quickly.

Maybe learning a new defense from a new coordinator will bring new ideas and ways of seeing things so guys can learn something and get better.

I just don't see it taking long because zone is zone, two high is two high, one high is one high and man is man. A new language but playing the same game. I would expect the first 8 games to be a little bit of a learning curve with the last 8 and after the bye, tuning in.

Barnes actually benefits from.the new scheme. He gets to be the leader from.the ground up.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Keke, Martin/Barnes, rookie CB will be key.

[wist43]

I like the King resigning, but overall we will be worse on defense no matter.

We took a major step backward at Defensive Coordinator, and they won't do anything to improve the line or ILB.

So, new scheme, worse DC, no upgrade in talent... a 20th ranking in pts, yds, etc will be the ceiling. I don't even foresee that though as I have no faith whatsoever in Berry.

[Bretsky]

I like the King resigning, but overall we will be worse on defense no matter.

We took a major step backward at Defensive Coordinator, and they won't do anything to improve the line or ILB.

So, new scheme, worse DC, no upgrade in talent... a 20th ranking in pts, yds, etc will be the ceiling. I don't even foresee that though as I have no faith whatsoever in Berry.

It was bound to go south once we got rid of your guy....aka....the Dominator Capers

[wist43]

It was bound to go south once we got rid of your guy....aka....the Dominator Capers

Lol... Pettine did a better than average job IMO. Much, much better than Capers. He was multiple up front, and took some pretty average talent and got max production and results out of them.

I don't expect Gute will do anything to improve our ILB situation, and will probably do next to nothing to help the DL. Combine those with a serious downgrade at DC, and I fully expect we'll be worse, if not much worse next year.

Berry was a terrible hire.

[Jaire]

They'll need to improve in the draft. This is a big draft for Gute. If the board falls well, it should be a good haul, a lot better than last year's draft class.

IDL, edge, especially CB looks promising. Pretty deep at lb too.

[RashanGary]

They'll need to improve in the draft. This is a big draft for Gute. If the board falls well, it should be a good haul, a lot better than last year's draft class.

IDL, edge, especially CB looks promising. Pretty deep at lb too.

It is a big year. They all kind of are, but we’re so close. One lucky draft could do it. Growth is very important too. Runyan, Stepaniak, Hansen, Lazard, MVS, Tonyan, Sullivan, Barnes, Martin, Keke, Gary,etc all have a chance to take decent leaps. If all of them do or most, that’s a nice chunk of improvement.

[bobblehead]

It is a big year. They all kind of are, but we’re so close. One lucky draft could do it. Growth is very important too. Runyan, Stepaniak, Hansen, Lazard, MVS, Tonyan, Sullivan, Barnes, Martin, Keke, Gary,etc all have a chance to take decent leaps. If all of them do or most, that’s a nice chunk of improvement.

Please let the MVS I saw in the NFCC game be the new normal.

[Fritz]

It is a big year. They all kind of are, but we’re so close. One lucky draft could do it. Growth is very important too. Runyan, Stepaniak, Hansen, Lazard, MVS, Tonyan, Sullivan, Barnes, Martin, Keke, Gary,etc all have a chance to take decent leaps. If all of them do or most, that’s a nice chunk of improvement.

In the context of "luck" being part of a championship, this is one factor that sometimes gets overlooked - that several young guys make a big jump the same year. I am hoping of course they all do, but if Hansen/Stepniak/Jansen - two of the three - can step up big this year, that will reduce the offensive line's issues significantly with the loss of Linsley.

I think there's room for Martin and Barnes to improve but I think Sullivan is about topped out, and possibly Keke too. Gary, well, let's hope he makes another jump.

I think Lazard is what he is now. I'd hoped Encyclopedia St. Brown would make a jump, but maybe his hands just aren't quite good enough.

[George Cumby]

I just want one junk-yard dog tone setter for this defense, don't care what level of the D, just one mean sumbitch that frightens the opposing O.

[Bretsky]

I just want one junk-yard dog tone setter for this defense, don't care what level of the D, just one mean sumbitch that frightens the opposing O.

We don't pursue those guys

WHO is the last one we've had ?

WAYNE SIMMONS ? He's the only mean one I can think of

[Jaire]

I just want one junk-yard dog tone setter for this defense, don't care what level of the D, just one mean sumbitch that frightens the opposing O.

Who are you thinking? Would Zaven Collins do? There's a lot of interesting edge and lbs really. We need some more pass rush. But definitely need better CB play.

More easy to address in this draft is a tone setter on offense. I like Jenkins. Quite a few OT to like. Maybe a wideout. I liked Dynami Brown before Chris Simms hyped him.

[George Cumby]

We don't pursue those guys

WHO is the last one we've had ?

WAYNE SIMMONS ? He's the only mean one I can think of

I think you're right with Simmons.

Matthews was kind of that guy his rookie year, but after he stopped juicing......