Packers Daily: Pass rush remains top concern
The Packers still have plenty of time this offseason to find pass rushing help but after the first wave of free agency, rushing the passer remains the team's primary concern.
By PackerAaron
Listen to the podcast here:
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE.
__________________________
Comments (18)
NJMagic
March 17, 2025 at 05:52 pm
Agree! at that price, Azeez is young and rising, and would have been at least worth the gamble to see if he can beat out Enagbare (i mean, how hard could that be?!!). We dont know if Packers were in the negotiations and he wanted to stay in the Division.... but somehow I doubt it.
Really tripling down on the draft + year 2 scheme improvement. Sigh.
Starrbrite
March 17, 2025 at 06:32 pm
I’m in the minority, but I believe this is disappointing news. I think Ojulari is at least as good as Engabare and definitely worth a chance; instead the SB winners take him.
Many have attempted to convince me that our pass rush wasn’t really a problem. I don’t know, I watched every game…maybe my eyes are bad…?
Go Packers!!!
Leatherhead
March 17, 2025 at 06:34 pm
So the pass rush is the top concern? Not stuffing the run? Not points? It's the pass rush now?
The Cowboys led the league in pressure. They missed the playoffs and were 31st in scoring defense.
The Browns were 3rd in pressure %. They missed the playoffs and were 27th in scoring defense.
The Bears were 7th in pressure %. They missed the playoffs and were 13th in scoring defense.
The Eagles were near the bottom of the league in pressure. They were 2nd in scoring defense.
Look, if you want a stat that actually correlates with winning,stick with POINTS SCORED. The top 9 scoring teams from last year all made the playoffs, including the Eagles.
Starrbrite
March 17, 2025 at 06:58 pm
LH, the defense rankings are strawman arguments imo.
A defense must be able to put pressure on the opposing QB. You saw what the Rams D did to Darnold.
I’m all in and with you for stopping the run —a good D begins with this premise. But it’s a passing league and rushing the passer is a critical necessity—imo.
There is very valid point that you’ve made many times (and I agree)—our offense on several occasions, let down the defense. Leroy Butler said often that 30 points was our magic number; our D often played well enough to win additional games without scoring 30, but the O dropped the ball.
Anyway, good debating with you.
Leatherhead
March 17, 2025 at 07:04 pm
Dallas put great pressure on. They were 31st in scoring.
Philadelpha was near the bottom in pressure, and was 2nd in scoring defense.
I think the notion of 'pressure' should be reconsidered. Maybe it's better to keep the QB in the pocket and make him throw to a guy who's covered. And I don't think pressures, or run stuffs, are more important than points.
As regards the scoring, every team that advanced past the first round of the playoffs last year scored 22 or more points. 10 points is not going to get it done in the playoffs against good teams.
T7Steve
March 18, 2025 at 06:25 am
Points are more important, LH.
This team needs to improve from last season's 1-5 (almost 0-6) in the division.
We were OK on D and the offense was a little up and down but could still score close to 30 a game.
Where would you like the team to improve, just to keep up with the division teams alone? You know they're improving.
I think O-line and pass rush is a good place to start if you assume we're going to actually catch a ball next season. Improving the pass rush without losing contain in the modern NFL is a necessity.
Leatherhead
March 18, 2025 at 09:58 am
Where would I like the team to improve?
I think if we just caught half the balls we dropped, we'd be a better team. We've upgraded the starting line, the backups have a year of experience, we're solid at QB and RB.....if we want to improve the offense, we're going to need WRs who can get open and catch. IF that's not going to be Reed and Wicks, it needs to be somebody else.
We could score 30. But not when we needed to, which is in the playoffs. Other than the Cowboy blow out in 2023, how many times have we scored 30 points in a playoff game in the last 5 years or so?
I think that better coverage will improve our pressure numbers, and we've already moved in that direction by getting Hobbs. I don't think that replacing Gary-VanNess-Enagbare-Brooks-Cox with another pass rusher makes us any stronger.
Bitternotsour
March 18, 2025 at 10:34 am
It might also be nice to field 7 or 8 people on the o-line who can step up and play competently. my eye test points to improving the offense, whether thru better execution, better scheme/play calling, or better players.
WD
March 18, 2025 at 02:47 pm
I love defense but I have to agree that "points" has become an issue ever since we lost Watson. I always want defense in the first round but this year I am in the minority WR number one crowd. The number one WR will go in the top 10 but I think we can get a playmaker at 23. We need a deep threat who can get open an catch the ball! We can go defense the rest of way out if that's what Gute wants. I like Golden but some don't like him because his height is an inch too short and his weight may be a couple of pounds under the ideal. All he does is score touchdowns!
BuckyBadger
March 19, 2025 at 08:53 am
The Eagles where one of the best teams rushing the passer. They showcased that in the Super Bowl with their ability to rush the passer with just 4 guys during the Super Bowl. All through the playoffs they showed it as well. Packers pass rush or lack of will cause more points to be scored.
I don't know what the stats say but my eyes tell me that D-line gets after the passer. Stats only tell half the story. The Eagles where #1 vs the pass last year and it mostly due to their play by their front 4.
stormin
March 17, 2025 at 07:31 pm
Rodgers and Adams saw the writing the wall and got the hell out of Green Bay before this Gutless GM and incapable coach totally ruined this organization, which as we now see have s crewedthis historic organization and their fans !
Leatherhead
March 18, 2025 at 10:08 am
In the two years before Rodgers left, we were 0-1 in the playoffs. In the two years since he was traded, we're 1-2 in the playoffs.
That's ruined?
Rodgers, and Adams, since we got rid of them, have accomplished squat.
NFLfan
March 17, 2025 at 08:26 pm
I'm underwhelmed by anything Gute-related-add Matt LaFleur-- So mediocre.
I used to love this team but I can't dredge up much excitement anymore.
There are 4 guys with talent and heart-Cooper, McKinney, Kraft and Jacobs-it's not enough and it's not fair to them.
Leatherhead
March 19, 2025 at 10:01 am
So, mediocre means winning more games than most teams in the league over the last six years?
And the guy who was a Pro Bowler or us last year doesn't have talent and/or heart.
Yup, you sound like a real fan.
Lphill
March 18, 2025 at 05:28 am
Cox with more snaps will emerge as the packers number 1 pass rusher.
gsd3
March 18, 2025 at 05:47 am
Not holding my breath, but stranger things have happened.
Major Snafu
March 18, 2025 at 06:12 am
last season when theLions lost Hutchison early I thought ther goes their pass rush they're in trouble now. The lions had the op in the daft to get him a bookend and passed for a so so corner. Ya they needed a corner too but didnt fix one thing and work on another. By poor decision making they ended up with a corner picked on often and your pass rush out for the season.
I knew early on this team was not sb bound.
The pack need effective pass rushers not just bodies. Gary was never the guy. Line backers too slow and no real force taking up blockers. Screw needing receivers, fix the pass rush.
WD
March 18, 2025 at 02:54 pm
It was drafting RB Gibbs in the first round that changed the entire lion offense to a scoring machine. He is as much a WR as he is a RB. With all their injuries on defense It is like they do not need defense to win.