Packers’ Pass Rush Turning Up the Heat
Buddy Ryan once said quarterbacks are overrated, pompous, and must be punished.
Brian Gutekunst didn't quite use those terms, but he's made it clear by his words and actions that he values pass rushers.
"We very much believe in rushing the passer, and edge rusher is a very premium position," Gutekunst said after using the 13th pick in April's NFL Draft on edge rusher Lukas Van Ness.
Van Ness is far from the first significant investment Gutekunst has made at that position.
The two biggest free agent contracts he's given out in terms of total dollars belong to Za'Darius and Preston Smith.
He doubled down on that by picking Rashan Gary 12th overall the same year.
He drafted Devonte Wyatt due to his pass-rushing prowess 28th overall a year ago.
Despite that investment, there has always been a lingering question as to whether the Packers had enough depth on their defensive front.
The Philadelphia Eagles ran a legitimate two-deep on the defensive line last season. They rode a productive pass rush all the way to the Super Bowl, where only Patrick Mahomes could overcome their ferocious front.
The Packers have rarely had that kind of depth.
In recent years, they were relying on Preston Smith and Rashan Gary with La'Darius Hamilton, Tipa Galeai and Jonathan Garvin as their primary reserves.
None of those players are on this roster.
Gutekunst has gone to work at that position since Gary went down with an ACL injury last November.
He added Van Ness, Colby Wooden and Karl Brooks in the draft. All of them have had flashes of brilliance throughout camp. Brooks is coming off a big week with two pressures and a sack that was wiped out by an illegal-contact penalty. Wooden and Brooks have lived in the backfield throughout camp.
Wednesday's joint practice against the Patriots was essentially dominated by the Packers' defense because of their pass rush.
They finished the day with 13 sacks, unofficially.
That performance carried over to the game, where the star was Gutekunst's 2022 fifth-round pick Kingsley "JJ" Enagbare.
Enagbare was a force against the New England Patriots. He finished the night with two sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.
"JJ, from Day 1 when he walked in to JJ now, is completely different." Rashan Gary said this week. "His confidence, his understanding of schemes, his understanding of the offensive linemen sets, how they wanna block him and what he want the offensive linemen to do is completely next level compared to where he came in, and I'm just happy for his progression and his growth."
His growth has helped give the Packers a boost, as he leads the team with five pressures and two sacks.
Overall, the Packers have 36 pressures in two preseason games, according to Pro Football Focus.
That's a group that has played essentially without its top three players.
Rashan Gary just returned for team drills earlier this week.
Preston Smith has played seven snaps.
Kenny Clark hasn't played any snaps.
Devonte Wyatt and TJ Slaton have started but played sparingly.
They've been getting a lot of contributions from guys expected to play complementary roles throughout the season.
Adding Van Ness to the room along with Wooden and Brooks has added competition to a group that sorely needed it after attrition took its toll a season ago.
"Well, I think we’ve got a lot of potential, but we’ve got to utilize that potential and put it to good use." Matt LaFleur said before Wednesday's practice.
"The best way to do that is to go out there and continue to work and get better, but I like the approach of the group. I think Rebs does a great job with those guys first and foremost and the competition has really elevated, I think, the play of some of those younger players."
Now, the Packers look to have their deepest group of pass rushers since 2015, when Mike Neal and Nick Perry were backups to Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers.
That group was Green Bay's best by Football Outsiders' Defensive DVOA in the last decade.
If the hot start does not carry over to the regular season, this will be all for naught, but their start is an encouraging sign for a group that struggled a season ago once Gary went down.
The temperature outside may be the only thing hotter than the Packers' pass rush.
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