Returning Snaps Paint Interesting Picture for Packers, NFC North Defenses

Defensively, the Packers and Vikings are operating from a completely different spot than the Lions and Bears.

Linebacker Quay Walker is Green Bay's top unrestricted free agent on defense. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

GREEN BAY, Wis. – New Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon is inheriting a defense with a sound foundation.

ESPN’s Mike Clay posted a chart showing the percentage of returning snaps from 2025. The Packers are No. 1 with 88 percent of their snaps under contract for the 2026 season. The Packers have only one starter, Quay Walker, and one key backup, Kingsley Enagbare, set to be unrestricted free agents.

Percentage of 2025 defensive snaps still under contract for 2026 by team:

*Includes RFA and ERFAs, but not UFAs* pic.twitter.com/7s0DcMR86c

— Mike Clay (@MikeClayNFL) February 12, 2026

Under former defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, the Packers had a top defense last season. Before Micah Parsons suffered a season-ending knee injury at Denver, the Packers were sixth in points allowed per game. For reference, Seattle was second and New England was fifth.

The defense fell apart down the stretch, a byproduct of not having enough pass rushers, capable coverbacks or run-stopping defensive tackles. After the season, Hafley was named coach of the Dolphins and Packers coach Matt LaFleur grabbed Gannon, who had been fired after three years as coach of the Cardinals.

“Not a lot of familiarity until kind of the interview process and moving through, but everybody spoke very, very highly of him,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said last week. “I really enjoyed our visit together and excited about what he can do. He brings some different ideas than what we’ve done in the past. That’s exciting. 

“Obviously, he has a very strong, proven track record. That experience I think is something that was enticing.”

Success With Eagles

Part of the track record was his two-year run as defensive coordinator of the Eagles. In 2020, the Eagles were 20th in points allowed and 19th in total defense. In 2021, the Eagles hired Nick Sirianni as coach and he hired Gannon as defensive coordinator. Philadelphia improved to 18th in points allowed and 10th in total defense in 2021 and eighth in points allowed and second in total defense in 2022, when they got to the Super Bowl.

In 2023, with Gannon having moved to Arizona, the Eagles plunged to 30th in points allowed and 26th in total defense.

“Really excited about Jonathan Gannon and the people we’re going to be bringing in to fill the role that Jeff Hafley had here last year, which are big shoes to fill, but really excited for him and his new opportunity,” Gutekunst said.

What should make everyone at 1265 Lombardi Ave. excited is the defense that was strong in 2025 should be strong again in 2026, so long as Parsons is impactful upon his return. While there are positions that could use an upgrade in free agency and the draft, at least the pieces of what had been a quality defense are in place. That puts Gutekunst in position to try to upgrade positions rather than having to fill holes.

NFC North Defensive Picture

That’s the good news for the Packers.

The bad news for the Packers is the Vikings are third in percentage of returning snaps. The Vikings were able to retain Brian Flores as defensive coordinator, so that dominant unit should remain a top group. Minnesota finished fifth in points allowed and 16th in total defense in 2024 and seventh in points allowed and third in total defense in 2025. So, the Vikings will be able to build on that success rather than rebuilding to try to keep that success.

Green Bay’s other NFC North rivals are at the opposite end of the spectrum.

The Detroit Lions are set to return 57 percent of their defensive snaps from 2025, the third-lowest percentage.

Under Aaron Glenn, the Lions were seventh in points allowed and first in opponent passer rating in 2024. Under Kelvin Sheppard, the Lions fell to 22nd in points allowed and 19th in opponent passer rating. Sheppard is back but linebacker Alex Anzalone and defensive tackle D.J. Reader are among the unrestricted free agents.

The Chicago Bears, who won the NFC North and beat the Packers in the playoffs, are set to return an NFL-low 51 percent of their defensive snaps.

Dennis Allen is back as defensive coordinator. His unit was largely terrible, finishing 23rd in points allowed and 29th in total defense, but it led the NFL in takeaways and interceptions and didn’t need turnovers to give Green Bay fits in Week 16 and the playoffs. Safeties Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard and cornerback Nahshon Wright, three players who fueled the Bears’ turnover frenzy, will be unrestricted free agents.

The salary cap will determine how the teams proceed. All four are over the projected salary cap, according to OverTheCap.com, with Green Bay in the best shape at $3.23 million over the cap, followed by the Bears ($9.49 million), Lions ($13.23 million) and Vikings ($45.19 million). Only one team is in worse shape than Minnesota.

Because of their cap outlooks, all four teams will face difficult decisions with their returning roster. Rashan Gary, for instance, could be a cost-cutting release for Green Bay.

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