Packer Central

Brenton Cox Sets Tone, Takes Next Step With Packers

Brenton Cox Jr.’s strip-sack against the Seahawks got the party started in a four-turnover game for the Packers defense. It’s a play that shows how much progress he’s made. 
Jacob Slinkman|
Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Brenton Cox Jr. slaps hands with fans on the way to practice at trainng camp.
Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Brenton Cox Jr. slaps hands with fans on the way to practice at trainng camp. | Sarah Kloepping/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Defensive end Brenton Cox Jr. has been a project for the Green Bay Packers defense since he was brought in as an undrafted free agent in 2023.  

He got an opportunity to play in place of veteran Preston Smith after he was traded last year and made an immediate impact. Going into his third season with the team, he’s looking to carve out a spot for himself and make an impact on the defensive front. 

He made his presence known early in their final preseason game against the Seahawks on Saturday with an explosive strip-sack of rookie quarterback Jalen Milroe. The fumble was recovered by Kingsley Enagbare and returned for a touchdown but was called back to the spot of the recovery after review. 

A play like this from an undrafted free agent should bring a smile to the faces of the coaching staff.  

Cox used his speed and a well-timed drop of his right shoulder to beat an attempted block from Seahawks tight end Marshall Lang as well as right tackle Michael Jerrell. 

Once he got into the backfield virtually untouched, he used a textbook punchout to jar the ball loose. It landed right next to Enagbare, who scooped it up and ran it to the endzone. 

A play like this is exactly what defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has been looking for this preseason. 

“We’ve been preaching takeaways this whole camp,” Cox said. “Coming off the edge, that was the opportunity for me to get it. That strip-fumble, that’s just a portion of what we were doing the whole camp. We’ve been punching at the ball and it’s finally paying off.” 

The turnovers didn’t stop there. The defense ended up forcing another fumble from Milroe, recovered a muffed punt after a scary collision between two Seahawks players, wide receiver Jake Bobo and cornerback Tyler Hall, and jumped on a botched shotgun snap late in the fourth quarter.  

That final fumble recovery is what sealed the 20-7 victory. 

According to Cox, this is what can be expected from the defense, including players like him who are lower on the depth chart.  

“I feel like we’re hungry. We’ve got a lot of guys that want to prove themselves again,” Cox said. “We’ve got a lot of guys who just, like me, end-of-the-roster guys, that’s just trying to show the team that we can do it. I feel like we’re hungry. I feel like we’re in a good place.” 

Green Bay Packers defensive end Kingsley Enagbare (55) recovers a fumble that was forced by Brenton Cox (57).
Green Bay Packers defensive end Kingsley Enagbare (55) recovers a fumble that was forced by Brenton Cox (57). | Kayla Wolf-Imagn Images

Cox had an impact game. Along with the strip-sack, he had a tackle for loss after a long run put the Seahawks inside the 5. 

Despite the great performance to end the preseason, Cox won’t let himself have the mindset that he’s a lock to make the final roster, saying “with the amount of numbers we’ve got, it’s always a chance that I don’t make it, but I just like to put my best foot forward and keep going every day.” 

Cox provided a glimpse of the mentality of this defense and the team as a whole, even in these preseason games that are sometimes said to “not matter.” 

“Nobody wants to lose,” he said. “It may be preseason, but we take it very serious around here – just punching at the ball, trying to get takeaways, trying to make a play on defense. We take that very serious. It was almost a shutout, but they scored at the end, and I know the defense is proud.” 

Cox’s strip-sack gave the Packers defensive line a boost of momentum that they rode to a victory that ended with five sacks, eight TFLs and four QB hits. That production came against Seattle’s backups on offense.  

The challenge will be much stiffer when the Packers start the regular season against the powerhouse Detroit Lions, who have a two headed monster of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery in the backfield paired with one of the best run-blocking right tackles in the NFL in Penei Sewell. 

The Lions offense ended the 2024 season second in yards per game and first in points scored. 

After his outstanding final preseason game, Cox is likely to find himself on the field in Week 1. It’s the next step in his career. While he survived the roster bubble both seasons, he’s played in only 12 games and been a healthy scratch in 21. This year, he will be a key backup. 

“Just staying humble, keeping my head down and working,” he said of his path. “I come to work every day with a serious mentality to get better, and I think it showed tonight with that one pass rush.” 

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Jacob Slinkman
JACOB SLINKMAN

I am a senior at the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay studying communication with emphasis in sports, journalism and social media. I’ve been around sports for my entire life. My family has been watching football and baseball for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I tried nearly every sport I could. I grew up in Winona, Minn., and living there meant I had to try my hand at hockey, but the only sport that ever stuck with me full time was baseball, which I played from t-ball through high school. Sports are very important to me, so I always wanted to work in this industry, and my time in college has given me the opportunity to write stories and produce videos about UWGB’s athletic teams. I have been writing for The Fourth Estate, UWGB’s student newspaper, for two years, and I will be taking on the role of student editor for my senior year.