Paul Bretl | 8/9/2024
GREEN BAY, Wis. — With the Packers’ first preseason game just about here, a big opportunity awaits second-year defensive end Brenton Cox, who had a very disruptive week at practice as a pass rusher.
Cox has primarily worked with the third-team defense in training camp, but saw some snaps with the twos and even the starters this week while JJ Enagbare was sidelined on Tuesday. Overall, Cox was a frequent visitor to the Packers’ backfield in practices this week, specifically as a pass rusher.
“Oh, yeah. JJ being out, I have seen a lot more reps,” said Cox on Tuesday. “That’s a challenge for me because going with the 3s and then bumping up the 1s, just balancing that whole thing and on top of special teams. Everything’s a bump up for me but I’m enjoying the challenge.”
Cox is a good athlete, but often wins with power and the use of strong, violent hands to get the offensive tackle out of position.
“I think I did okay,” said Cox of his performance on Tuesday. “Just hustling, just trying to be violent and attack the quarterback. Getting back there, that’s the main thing. Get back there, and everything else will fall into place.”
As an undrafted rookie in 2023 out of Florida, Cox’s ability to get after the quarterback and intriguing upside earned him a roster spot last season. As the fifth-man in the edge rusher rotation, his playing time was limited, appearing in only three games defensively, totaling five snaps.
Like many NFL players entering their sophomore season, Cox benefits from having a full offseason to work on his craft rather than training for the NFL combine and doing interviews. There is also the added comfortability that comes from the experience gained over the last year and knowing what it takes to be a professional day in and day out.
There’s also the help and guidance that veterans Preston Smith and Rashan Gary have provided Cox during his time in the NFL.
“They’ve been a big help to me,” said Cox about Gary and Smith. “I talk to those guys every day about pass rush and growing into the man I am today. Just learning from them, everything I can, while they’re here. ‘P’ is a veteran. ‘R.G.’ is a long-term veteran guy, so just learning from these guys as much as I can.”
Cox has always had the ability to rush the quarterback, and part of his game should be magnified and on display in Jeff Hafley’s defensive scheme, where the ultimate goal is for the members of the defensive front to get off the ball and into the backfield, generating TFLs and sacks–a play-style that Cox has “embraced,” as LaFleur put it.
“I just knew he (Hafley) wanted to cause disruption in the backfield and I know that’s something I can do,” said Cox. “Just getting back there, getting my hands up, getting pressure on the quarterback, causing TFLs. I knew this would be a something I would like to (play in).”
In addition to now being in an attack front, we also caught a glimpse this week of the potential versatility that we could see in the trenches under Hafley as well. With the first team offense on Wednesday, Cox saw some snaps lined up inside and not at defensive end.
Whether or not Cox would see any snaps in this capacity in-season remains to be seen, but as the old saying goes, ‘the more you can do.’ An in-game situation where we could see Cox utilized that way would be during an obvious passing down where the Packers want to really get after the quarterback with perhaps the defensive front made up of Rashan Gary and Preston Smith at defensive end, with Cox and Kenny Clark inside.
Cox isn’t the only one up front who could be asked to move around. Both Colby Wooden and Karl Brooks lined up at defensive end in college, while Lukas Van Ness played defensive tackle as well. With the depth that the Packers have between the defensive end and defensive tackle positions, along with the variety of skill sets, those elements will really allow Hafley to mix and match personnel based on what the game-plan calls for.
“I think we’re always kind of playing with that and certainly, certain rush packages could influence those decisions,” said LaFleur about lining up Cox inside. “He had a good day at practice.”
In the upcoming preseason game against Cleveland, Cox should get plenty of opportunities to build off of the foundation he’s laid over these first two weeks of training camp, and show the impact he can make as a pass rusher in an actual game. Presumably, Gary and Smith will see no or very little snaps on Saturday, making Cox the third edge rusher in the rotation for much of the game. We also don’t know how much playing time Van Ness or Enagbare will see, which will then put Cox at the top of the defensive end depth chart for a stretch.
However, while of course, there is a prerequisite that Cox will have to meet as a pass rusher in order to make the team, realistically, his most consistent playing time this season will come on special teams. You just don’t see many five-man defensive end rotations.
The special teams aspect of the game was part of the learning curve that Cox experienced as a rookie. Despite being on the 53-man roster, Cox would play only eight special teams snaps in 2023. This included none against the San Francisco 49ers in the playoffs when the team was without Enagbare. Instead, they elevated Keshawn Banks from the practice squad to play on teams.
“Just my special teams,” said Cox when asked what he’s working on. “Just working on that, that’s been my main focus this year. We’ve got a lot of pass rushers already dialed in and ready to go. When that opportunity comes, I’m going to be ready to play on special teams for Coach Rich.”
Like any young player, Cox is still developing his game, but he’s making strides that are now consistently showing up on the practice field and doing so at a very important position–getting after the quarterback. The next step is to maintain that consistency from day-to-day and week-to-week and carry that momentum into each game, which he will have the opportunity to do in Cleveland.
“Just to be disruptive and fly to the ball,” said Cox about Saturday. “That’s what my coach preaches so that’s all I’m going to do. For sure.”