Two areas of potential growth for the Green Bay Packers weren’t realized during the 2024 season, and one of Matt LaFleur’s top jobs entering 2025 will be making sure the Packers get more out of two key position groups.
While the defense improved overall in Jeff Hafley’s first season, the defensive front took a clear step back, especially in terms of rushing the passer. And a young, talented group of wide receivers didn’t take a meaningful step forward after such a promising end to 2024.
In many ways, the Packers looked set up for success in both areas entering the season.
Start up front on defense. Rashan Gary was another year removed from an ACL injury and going back to the 4-3 front. Recent first-round picks Devonte Wyatt and Lukas Van Ness had a chance to take jumps as young, ascending players. Veteran Kenny Clark was back on a new deal after producing 66 pressures. Kingsley Enagbare avoided a significant knee injury in the postseason and was available for the start of training camp. Karl Brooks had a chance to build on his highly encouraging rookie season.
The results just didn’t follow, and the lack of a legitimate four-man rush eventually doomed the Packers in so many big games.
According to Next Gen Stats, the Packers ranked 20th in the NFL in pressure rate and 20th in average time to throw for opposing quarterbacks.
In 2023, Gary and Clark combined for 132 total pressures. In 2024, they produced only 83, and Clark was hardly a factor in the passing game. Wyatt missed time with an ankle injury and produced 15 fewer pressures overall compared to 2023. Van Ness didn’t take a meaningful step forward and finished with only 20 pressures as a part-time player. Brooks was hot and cold as a rusher. Enagbare wasn’t nearly as productive as the 2023 version of Preston Smith.
Saddled with an inconsistent pass-rush, Hafley was forced to use more blitz packages and simulated pressures to generate disruption.
The Packers finished with 45 sacks, a respectable number. But 20 of those sacks came in wins over the Titans, Seahawks and Dolphins, and the Packers created only seven sacks in the five regular-season losses to the Eagles, Lions and Vikings.
By PFF grade, every single defensive front player except for Wyatt regressed in 2024. Not surprisingly, the Packers fired defensive line coach Jason Rebrovich.
At wide receiver, the embarrassment of riches lost some of its shine. Most of all, young group of pass-catchers didn’t take the step forward so many were expecting.
Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks combined for 18 total drops — Reed’s 10 drops finished third among all players, while Wicks had the highest drop rate among all receivers. Reed was excellent in the first half but suffered an incredible decline in the second half, while Wicks couldn’t catch anything during the first half of the season before finally settling in down the stretch.
Romeo Doubs went through a bizarre event that ended in a suspension and suffered a concussion, resulting in 24 fewer targets in 2024 compared to 2023. He caught only four touchdown passes compared to eight in 2023.
Christian Watson caught only 29 passes before a season-ending injury in the season finale.
Bo Melton, a surprise contributor to end 2023, caught only nine of 19 targets and was a non-factor most weeks. Malik Heath was a healthy scratch four times and played roughly 100 fewer snaps. During the playoff loss in Philadelphia, Heath struggled mightily in a few big spots.
By PFF grade, Reed, Doubs, Wicks and Melton all regressed by various amounts in 2024. Watson blossomed into a big play threat during the second half of the season but is now dealing with a significant injury that will cut into his 2025 season.
In season-ending press conferences, both Brian Gutekunst and Matt LaFleur expressed their belief in the talent assembled along the defensive front and at receiver but admitted both need to be better in 2025 and beyond.
The first step defensively will be finding a new defensive line coach. The right teacher and motivator could get a lot more out of what is already in place at defensive end and defensive tackle, and going into the second season of a new scheme should help everyone play faster.
At receiver, an addition might be required. Watson might miss as much as three months and is entering a contract year. Doubs is also entering a contract year. and he’ll go into 2025 after suffering two concussions in the final two months of the season. Reed must bounce back from whatever happened in the second half of 2024 — getting him more touches should be a requirement in 2025. Wicks has to become more consistent overall after all the drops and failed contested catches in 2024. Melton and Heath are players who will have to fight for a roster spot every summer.
Two big question marks for 2025: Can the Packers better disrupt the quarterback from a four-man rush, and can the wide receiver group as a whole bounce back from a difficult season and reassume their spot as one of the NFL’s most impressive young position groups?