Go back and watch the Packers Week 1 win over the Chicago Bears last season. It was probably the best game the defense played all season with the possible exception of Week 16 against the Vikings. There was one player who was a big part of what the defense did in that game who was missing for the rest of the season: safety Raven Greene.

Greene went down with a season-ending injury in the third quarter of the Packers Week 2 win over the Vikings. The defense certainly felt his absence both when defending the pass and trying to stop the run. Before he was hurt, Greene played in roughly 77 percent of the Packers’ defensive plays despite not being listed as a starter.

Defensive coordinator Mike Pettine explained what Greene’s loss meant to the defense. “It was tough. He’s a versatile player who was able to do some good things for us in 2018 and it was unfortunate that in the second game, he went down with an injury. I mean he was going to be a big part of what we were doing, just kind of that hybrid linebacker/safety type. His versatility, his explosiveness, was something that we missed and we’re looking forward to being able to take advantage of it this year.”

That hybrid linebacker/safety type has been something Pettine likes to utilize because it gives him flexibility on defense and the ability to disguise coverages and to run different coverages out of similar formations. Pettine values versatility on defense in part for that reason. Greene can step into the box to help stop the run while the Pack is still using six or even seven DBs or he can help cover opposing tight ends, something that the Packers struggled to do all season in 2019.

Thus far, Pettine is pleased with what he sees from Greene in training camp. “He looks good. He’s smart, he’s tough, I mean he’s always been able to pick up stuff very quickly and we’re certainly expecting big things of Raven this year,” Pettine added.

The former undrafted free agent out of James Madison played eight games for the Packers in 2018, Pettine’s first season as Green Bay’s defensive coordinator. He was in on five total tackles, forced a fumble and recorded a sack while playing in just four percent of the team’s defensive snaps. Last year, he was on the field for 70 defensive plays in a little more than six quarters of action before the injury ended his season.

Greene is 5’11” and weighs 197 pounds. But his ability to both stuff the run when playing that hybrid position and to cover or blitz on passing plays allows Pettine the ability to play his smaller packages which feature six or seven defensive backs and still be confident that they can stop the run well enough to avoid disasters like last year’s NFC Championship Game which saw the 49ers gain 285 yards on the ground and run for four touchdowns.

Several players tried to fill Greene’s shoes over the course of the season, but none of them had the impact that Greene provided when he was in the lineup.

Head coach Matt LaFleur is eager to get Greene back in the lineup this season. “Raven is a very versatile player,” LaFleur told reporters during a recent conference call. “Whether it’s at dime linebacker or in the safety position, we’ve got a lot of confidence in him and his ability to help communication on the back end, play his responsibilities to the best of his level. We’re really looking forward to seeing what he can put together this season.”

Backup quarterback Tim Boyle also expressed confidence in Greene. “He is a talented player, super smart, knows where to be, and is just one of those guys who has a knack for the ball,” Boyle told Packer Report last month. “He is very instinctual. Hopefully, he is back and ready to go. I think he’s going to have a big year on the defensive side.”

If Greene can stay healthy for the season, he will provide the Packers with excellent depth at safety. Between starters Adrian Amos and Darnell Savage, Greene and possibly Will Redmond and rookie seventh round pick Vernon Scott, the Packers have a talented and mostly young group at the position with a diverse skill set.

Keeping Greene healthy and available could go a long way to helping the Green Bay defense improve in 2020 and that could help the team take the next step forward in their quest for another championship.