The Packers already have a player named Valentine on the roster, so we’re focusing on finding an ideal match in free agency instead.
Today is Valentine’s Day, so let this be your reminder to do something special for your partner, if you are into that sort of thing. And also to celebrate the fact that the Green Bay Packers hit on a certain 7th-round cornerback in the 2023 NFL Draft, one who has now established himself as the most reliable starting outside cornerback on the roster.
On the subject of perfect matches, the Green Bay Packers hit the jackpot last year in free agency when they signed Xavier McKinney and Josh Jacobs. Those two players were arguably the best players on their respective sides of the football in 2024, and they look like core building blocks for the foreseeable future.
Today, let’s take a look at a player who might be the perfect free agent match to boost the Packers’ pass rush in 2025. After all, Green Bay’s pass rush was inconsistent at best in 2024. They had two big games against bad quarterbacks and offensive lines — 8 sacks against Tennessee and 7 in Seattle — and that accounted for one-third of their sack total for the entire regular season.
There is raw talent on the edge, to be sure, but it needs bolstering and assistance. One way to do just that is to add players who can collapse the pocket as interior rushers. Kenny Clark and Devonte Wyatt were supposed to play that role, but they also were inconsistent last season. So perhaps a penetrating tackle is one way to solve the pass rush?
Enter Milton Williams as a potential target. Fresh off a Super Bowl win with the Eagles, a game in which he recorded two sacks of Patrick Mahomes, the former 3rd-round pick is set to cash in with a nice payday. His snap rate on defense has hovered around the mid-40 percent range throughout his career, but his 2024 was his finest season to date, with seven sacks including the postseason.
Williams won’t come with the flash that a trade for the likes of Myles Garrett would. And he doesn’t directly address the edge group the way signing Chase Young or Khalil Mack would. But he might just be an ideal match on the line to join Clark and Wyatt to take some pressure off the edge rushers.
Let’s look at that and much more in today’s curds!
2025 NFL predictions: Super Bowl 60 picks, MVP, breakouts – ESPN
Two of the 13 analysts here see the Packers in the Super Bowl, with one picking them to win and the other betting on Jordan Love to win MVP.
The biggest offseason needs for all 32 NFL teams: A lot of defense, OL and a few quarterbacks – The Athletic ($)
While a national writer picked cornerback as the Packers’ biggest need in a piece we linked to yesterday, The Athletic’s Packers beat writer goes with pass rush instead.
Eagles’ Milton Williams would ‘love to be back in Philadelphia’ but ‘obviously’ wants raise | NFL.com
Williams would be a fantastic fit for Jeff Hafley’s defense as an interior lineman who can collapse the pocket on the quarterback.
Packers defense ranks top 10 in tackling during first year under Jeff Hafley | Packers Wire
A top-ten ranking in overall tackling? When was the last time that happened? To make things even better, they ranked first from week 10 onward.
Jets Say They Will Release Aaron Rodgers; Packers’ Brian Gutekunst Wins Trade | SI.com
Let’s all point and laugh at Pat McAfee’s reaction to a potential Rodgers trade from a little less than two years ago.
Illinois governor declares Lake Michigan is now Lake Illinois | WILX
“A great lake deserves to be named after a great state.” It sure does, JB. That’s why I will only be referring to it as Lake Wisconsin and I insist that Apple acknowledge this change on their maps app.