Packers Rookie Defenders Make Impact
Packers rookie defensive back Evan Williams celebrates his game-clinching play with Eric Stokes and Xavier McKinney on Sunday against the Rams. Williams led the team with 10 tackles.
As the youngest team in the NFL, the Green Bay Packers will need to rely on young, inexperienced players. But on the defensive side of the ball, it might be just the time to trust three rookies in three starting positions.
Those three rookies are: inside linebacker Edgerrin Cooper and safeties Javon Bullard and Evan Williams.
In Sunday’s game, with the ball in scoring range and Super Bowl champion quarterback Matthew Stafford at the helm, the Packers defense was in a vulnerable position in the final minute on Sunday. The opponent with the ball and a chance to score the go-ahead touchdown in the final seconds was something many Packers fans are all too familiar with.
However, the final play of the Packers’ 24-19 win over the Los Angeles Rams showcased two of those rookie defensive players, Cooper and Williams, who should have a major impact for the remainder of the season.
EVAN WILLIAMS CALLS GAME! pic.twitter.com/VAP4TrP4US
— 97.3 The Game (@TheGameMKE) October 6, 2024
Cooper, the Packers first second-round pick, appears ready to take the starting linebacker spot opposite Quay Walker. He only had 30 snaps on Sunday, but he had a sack in the second quarter and had several more pressures in the second half which led to another sack and helped force the incompletion on the Rams’ final play from scrimmage. Cooper has shown a tremendous ability to blitz and his speed has stood out ever since he’s been inserted into the lineup.
no more defensive plays without 56 on the field
none pic.twitter.com/Ppp2mfeyLA
— Ross Uglem (@RossUglem) October 7, 2024
On the back end of the defense, the two defensive backs Bullard and Williams look too good to take off the field. Both have played opposite Xavier McKinney as a free safety, but Sunday the two rookies both flanked McKinney.
Bullard played a lot at the slot (or star) position, a role he starred in during his final year at Georgia. In Sunday's game, Bullard had seven tackles. Bullard is currently third on the team in tackles with 28, behind Walker and Isaiah McDuffie.
Javon Bullard makes this same exact tackle every week. pic.twitter.com/0EHY32nSFJ
— Brandon Carwile (@BCarwile_NFL) October 7, 2024
He’s shown the potential to be a traditional safety opposite McKinney, but his willingness to stick his nose in on the running game, might make it awfully tempting for defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley to play Bullard closer to the line of scrimmage. Having a safety in that role compared to a cornerback should help the Packers’ ability to defend the run.
Play Javon Bullard in the slot. Stop playing him at deep safety. Evan Williams is a better safety than he is. And he's the best slot defender on the team.
So:
What are we doing here? pic.twitter.com/mv1k1y2jFW
— Ross Uglem (@RossUglem) October 7, 2024
Against the Rams, Williams had his first start at safety and did more than just help out for the absence of star cornerback Jaire Alexander. Williams played 78 of 79 defensive plays, leading the team in tackles with 10 and he made the pass break-up that sealed the win.
I really, REALLY like what I saw from Evan Williams on Sunday. #Packers pic.twitter.com/TUGNdPDvWl
— Tyler Brooke (@TylerDBrooke) October 8, 2024
Williams had such an impressive game on Sunday, it feels like just a formality that he will be playing full time in the Packers secondary. And Bullard has been used as a starter since the first preseason game. The Packers will decide on picking either of the rookies to play next to McKinney or both of them see the field and veterans like Eric Stokes and Keisan Nixon see their roles reduced. For the Packers to get their best five and most dynamic defensive backs on the field together (when Alexander is back), the roles of the rookies will be vital for the success of this defense.
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Mitch McLaughlin is a Packers fan and shareholder residing in Sacramento, California. He will be writing Packers stories each week on Cheesehead TV. He can be found on Twitter: @McLaughlinMitch
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Comments (10)
stockholder
October 08, 2024 at 06:48 pm
Rotation! Rotation! Rotation!
Bullard slot- SS
Nixon - CB -Slot
Williams SS
LB. - Cooper-
Outside for me.
Fackwell?
Rotate with P.Smith.
And Sign Devin White.
splitpea1
October 08, 2024 at 07:49 pm
Good article with the appropriate clips; a very promising trio. Nothing like being in the right position to make plays and then finishing them off with a PD, INT, or a good tackle... I'm sold on Bullard in the slot.
LLCHESTY
October 08, 2024 at 11:47 pm
Bullard's explosion when he sees the play borders on unnatural. Wahle showed a play from Sunday with the end zone view where he knifed into the backfield to drop the RB for a loss that I backed up a couple times for enjoyment. If he puts in the film study the sky is the limit for him. It's so refreshing to see both him and Williams make plays in the run game compared to what we're used to.
jannesbjornson
October 08, 2024 at 08:54 pm
Williams' play makes him the starting safety. Cooper has to be on the field for all the defensive plays and he can go inside/outside. Bullard is a natural slot guy. Some of the incumbents should be on the trading block. See if Mosby can bring some juice to the edge. Enagbare is playing fast and furious, leading the show. Karl Brooks is another playmaker who has to be on the field.
Bearmeat
October 09, 2024 at 06:44 am
Nixon hasn’t been bad in the slot. I just don’t want him on the boundary. The guy who has to go is Stokes. He just can’t stay with any sudden moves. The secondary needs to be
Ja - CB1
Valentine - CB2
Nixon or Bullard - Slot
X - FS
Bullard or Williams- SS
That said, the coaches are not going to take Nixon off the field. Not gonna happen. The only time we're going to see Williams when everyone is healthy is when we're in Dime.
As far as LB goes - Cooper being a full time starter is only a matter of time. I'd like to see Hopper over Quay at some point, but that won't happen.
And while this is not part of the article, I'd suggest that our DL is wildly underachieving. Gary, LVN, Preston, Enagbare, KC are not doing well.
The defense is concerning.
Guam
October 09, 2024 at 08:00 am
I would disagree about Engbare. He has had a couple of strong games as well as a couple where he was less visible. Inconsistent but at least he has excelled on occasion. The other four have been consistently invisible.
LLCHESTY
October 09, 2024 at 05:11 pm
Enagbare has 1.5 sacks and 5 pressures. Preston has 2.5 sacks and 8 pressures but he's been invisible?
Guam
October 10, 2024 at 07:37 am
Enagbare has played about two-thirds of the snaps Smith has with similar stats plus two forced fumbles (Smith has none). Impact is not solely about attacking the QB.
SicSemperTyrannis
October 09, 2024 at 11:04 am
Nixon is ok at slot, not the boundary.
Stokes is good at specific matchups, but not an every down player. Therefore not a starter.
Getting these two levels right will go a long way ...
Leatherhead
October 09, 2024 at 11:26 am
Facts about the defense:
1. Currently, 14th in scoring defense at 21.6 ppg.
2. First in takeaways
3. 6th best in % of drives resulting in scores.
The defense is getting stops and getting off the field. I don't think our DL is wildly unachieving.....we get a lot of sacks and turnovers and blitz rarely.
Williams, I agree, is a player, and judging by our snap counts last week, he's one of the 5 guys we want in the secondary. Alexander is semi-irreplaceable, because he can take responsibility for one WR and the other 6 pass defenders can defend the rest. We need him on the field. Without him, I do not see the Packers as a top defense.