2023 Green Bay Packers Defense

Green Bay fell to 26th in rushing yards allowed (2,372) with 18 touchdowns. Ball carriers gained 5.0 yards per rush, with 28.2 rushing attempts per game.

The Packers bumped to 6th in passing yards allowed (3,349) while allowing 22 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. Quarterbacks gained 7.4 yards per pass attempt. Their defense delivered 34 sacks. Their pass defense was helped by opponents attempting a league-low 478 passes.

DE Kenny Clark has been a liability defending the run over the past two seasons. He continues to miss too many tackles while failing to deliver impact sacks. Green Bay hopes incoming rookie DT Karl Brooks can handle the interior of their defensive line due to the failure of their returning options from 2021. DT Devonte Wyatt was only on the field for limited snaps last season after getting drafted 28th overall in 2022. Based on the additions of Lukas Van Ness and Colby Wyatt, the Packers look positioned to play more 4-3 defensive set this year.

LB Preston Smith had a career-high in tackles (59) last year while chipping in with 31.5 sacks over his 65 games played with Green Bay. His run defense was about league average in 2022. LB De’Vondre Campbell missed four games last year. He has 470 tackles and six sacks over the past four seasons. Campbell tends to be a sure tackler with minimal help in the pass rush. In his rookie season, LB Quay Walker picked up 121 tackles with 1.5 sacks and three forced fumbles. Despite his success, his run defense ranked well below the league average. LB Rashan Gary has 20.5 sacks over the past three seasons. In 2021, he was a beast rushing the quarterback despite only picking up 9.5 sacks. Gary missed eight games last year with a torn ACL.

CB Jaire Alexander continues to be one of the better cover players in the league, but he will give up some big plays. His value in the run game was a career-best last season. CB Rasul Douglas set a career-high in tackles (85) while adding nine interceptions and 26 defended passes over the past two years. He wants to keep receivers in front of him while allowing short yards per catch. S Jonathan Owens comes off a career season in tackles (125) with the Texans. Despite his growth, he tends to be a liability in all areas. S Darnell Savage is a former first-round draft pick (2019), but he has yet to play up to his potential. His run support is suspect, and quarterbacks will beat him for big plays and touchdowns.

The 2023 additions in this year’s draft class should help Green Bay regain its lost value against the run while adding more sacks. Their defense ranks 19th in the high-stakes fantasy market. I expect them to outperform their ranking while offering matchup value in 2023.