By Paul Bretl: 7/23/2024
During Monday’s first training camp practice, it was the Green Bay Packers defensive front that got the best of the offensive line.
“I thought for the most part the D-line got the better of the offensive line through one day of practice,” said Matt LaFleur Tuesday morning.
Well, the second day was much of the same. Actually it was more so.
“I think this 4-3 style fits the guys we have in our room a lot better up front and you’ve been able to see it the past couple of days,” said Lukas Van Ness at his locker. “We’ve been aggressive getting after the quarterback. And again, pads add a whole different part of the game and it’ll be interesting to see in the coming days. But again, I think it’s a testament to the guys in our room and how hard we’ve been working. I think we have a goal in mind and we’re getting after it.”
Leading the charge for the defensive front was Rashan Gary, who was about as close to unblockable as you’ll see. He was lining up on both sides of the defensive front, using his power and violent hands to make his way into the backfield consistently, logging numerous “pressures” and what looked like several “sacks,” including three in a four play span.
“Just being able to pin our ears back, not think and fly around,” said Gary of the new defense. “It’s been fun so far the first two days.”
Under former defensive coordinator Joe Barry, the defensive front had more of a read-and-react approach as they were responsible for defending two gaps. However, under Hafley, this is an attack front, as defensive line coach Jason Rebrovich put it, that plays with its hand in the dirt and has one primary job: get into the backfield.
Yeah I feel more explosive coming out of a three-point stance,” said Gary about playing with his hand in the dirt. “Sometimes when you’re in a two-point stance you can create more false steps and with the hand in the dirt, the false steps are taken away.”
While Gary may be leading the charge, the entire defensive end position group seems to be getting in on the action. Van Ness has put together two disruptive days on the practice field, as has Kingsley Enagbare and Preston Smith.
During Tuesday’s practice in particular, moving the ball for the offense felt like an impossible task at times, with Clifford not only under pressure regularly, but under pressure very quickly as well. Following those pressures, the defensive front, particularly Gary, let the offense know that the defense was winning the majority of the reps.
“Just me being me bringing energy,” said Gary. “Just trying to bring everybody along and just trying to hold everybody to a high standard as I ask them to hold me to a high standard.”
If the Packers defense as a whole is going to improve in 2024, it starts with more consistent play upfront. In 2023, the Packers’ pass rush ran very hot and cold, recording seven games where they pressured the quarterback on 45 percent of more of his dropbacks, which is an excellent rate. However, on the flip side, there were also seven games where Green Bay pressured the opposing quarterback on fewer than 30 percent of his dropbacks, which is the opposite of excellent.
Then as we all know, the run game continued to provide this unit with issues, with the Packers ranking 23rd in yards per carry allowed, along with giving up a league-high four games of 200-plus rushing yards.
Success for any defense starts in the trenches The best way to slow any offensive play is with a quick push from the defensive front. Slowing the run then puts the offense in obvious passing situations, giving the defense the advantage in coverage, while pressure leads to mistakes that can hopefully result in turnovers.
Ultimately, it’s up to the players on the field to execute and make plays, but Hafley’s defense should create more opportunities for the Packers’ defensive line to be in positions to make that happen–and although it’s only been two days without the pads on, the affect that an attacking, high-energy front can have.
“We’ve just harped on depth and having guys to rotate in and out and everybody having the ability to affect the game and be an impact player,” said Van Ness. “As you said, whether it’s Preston or RG or myself or JJ, you know there’s a whole list of guys that can rotate and play any position and I think it’s a testament to the depth and the ability we have to go out and succeed.”
Back-to-back good days doesn’t make a training camp, just like back-to-back sub-par days doesn’t break a training camp. Instead it’s about consistency and building upon the previous day’s performance to continue getting incrementally better. That will be the next step for a defensive end group that is off to a fast and very disruptive start.
“Be consistent,” said Gary about his message. “Be consistent and be critical of ourselves. This is only Day 2. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done in practice; we’ve got to bring it to the season. Being consistent, you come out and have a great day, come out and have a great day for the next day. Just being consistent and being critical of yourself.”