Maximizing the skill sets of Matthew Golden, Savion Williams begins with the fundamentals of Packers’ offense

Paul Bretl | 5/5/2025

GREEN BAY, Wis. — After Day 3 of the NFL draft, when Matt LaFleur was asked about Savion Williams and his versatility, he said that “the only thing that limits your creativity is your imagination,” referencing all the different ways his skill set could be utilized within the offense. Matthew Golden and his 4.29 speed, ability to play inside and out, and attack all levels of the field can also give LaFleur a variety of ways to utilize him within the offense.

The Packers, of course, have a vision for how they want Williams and Golden to fit within their offense, but as is the case with just about anything, the vision is what is being chased; it’s not the starting point.

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First, Williams and Golden must learn the playbook and the core principles of the LaFleur offense.

“A lot of it’s going to be dependent upon them and how well they pick up the offense and how fast they can do it,” said LaFleur during rookie minicamp. “I think it will all work itself out in due time, but obviously very excited about the talent that both those guys bring for sure, especially being out there and just kind of being around them a little bit. I love how serious they are about football.”

The LaFleur offense, as it is, is already one where pre-snap movement, differing alignments, and wide-ranging personnel groupings are key facets of this scheme. So that creativity component that can help maximize the diverse skill sets that Williams and Golden have is baked into the scheme and what the rookies will be learning from Day 1. It’s not as if this is a stagnant offense pre-snap that has to incorporate entirely different elements to fit what Williams and Golden do well.

From there, as the rookie receivers get comfortable operating within the offensive system and what’s being asked of them, LaFleur can begin asking more of them and putting them in different positions and roles.

“We do a lot of that stuff, anyways, within the scheme of our offense, in terms of moving people and putting them in a different position,” LaFleur said about adding more creative elements to the offense. “So that’s kind of the starting point is the stuff that you have done, or in the offseason, study things that you’d like to do off of things that you’ve done. But I think in terms of where that goes, it’s going to happen organically over time.”

Whether it be with Golden and Williams or any incoming rookies, what the Packers want to be mindful of is not putting too much on their plates. These incoming players already have a lot to digest just when it comes to learning the playbook as it is, not to mention adjusting to the play speed and strength of the NFL level.

Running backs coach Ben Sirmans has a saying, “If you think, you stink,” meaning that the team doesn’t want players overthinking when on the field, which can slow them down. They instead want their players out there reacting to what they see and letting their natural abilities take over.

To facilitate this growth and ensure that incremental steps are being made, the rookies are given “point of attack” tape, as LaFleur and the Packers call it, which are put together by the position coaches and highlight what the player does well, along with one to two things to work on. Learning the playbook and mastering these assigned tasks is an important way for a rookie to broaden his role.

“We call them point of attack tapes,” LaFleur said. “And it’s, I guess, a condensed version, you know, maybe it might be 20-30, clips, say, here’s the things that we think you do really well, and here are the one to two things that where we would like you to focus on throughout the course of the offseason. If you master that, then we’ll give ‘em something else.”

So, as we sit here in early May with Phase II of OTAs on the horizon, the Packers’ offense isn’t going to look any different at this time from a schematic standpoint with Williams and Golden now a part of the equation. While they have to learn the playbook and the ins and outs of LaFleur’s offense, the Packers’ coaching staff is doing some of the learning as well.

Getting to know each of these players and watching them work up close rather than just on film can often lead to the coaches discovering something new about their game that didn’t pop up on the tape.

“I think more of that’s determined after the fact,” said LaFleur about adding new wrinkles to the offense for Williams and Golden. “When you get them in the building, you get to work with them on a daily basis, you see how fast they pick things up. Inevitably, there’s going to be something that’s going to surprise you in a positive light, that they do really well, that you’re like, ‘Oh shoot. Maybe I didn’t recognize that, just off the tape.’ So I think it’s all about just that process of working together and kind of growing together.”

In Green Bay and with the Packers is exactly where Savion Williams wanted to be

Paul Bretl | 5/3/2025

GREEN BAY, Wis. — When TCU wide receiver Savion Williams got the call from Brian Gutekunst on Day 2 of the NFL draft, an overwhelming amount of emotion washed over him. For one, a lifelong dream of being drafted and making it to the NFL had been achieved. But playing in Green Bay and with the Packers is also exactly where Williams wanted to be.

“That whole week before the draft, everybody was always asking me, ‘if there was one team you could get picked by who would you want to get picked by?’ I told them it would be Green Bay,” Williams said on Friday at Packers’ rookie minicamp. “That’s where I want to go and shoot, just seeing the area code number just pop up and then just grinning the whole time. Just knowing I’m being in Green Bay was just a dream.”

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So what was it about Green Bay that led Williams to know he wanted to be here?

Williams was one of five Packers’ draft picks who visited Green Bay during the pre-draft process on an official visit and with him being from a small town, the “small town type vibe” that the city of Green Bay has with how “tight-knit” the community is was something that fit well with Wiliams. The love from the fans caught Williams’ attention as well.

If that comfort with the area was one reason Williams wanted to end up in Green Bay, reason No. 2 is head coach Matt LaFleur and the Packers’ recent history.

“Like Matt LaFleur, man,” said Williams when asked why he wanted to be a Packer. “I mean, shoot, with him and Green Bay like, when I was a kid watching Aaron Rodgers, it’s a dream. Just playing–having a cheesehead. Being a cheesehead, man. I love being a cheesehead.”

As Gutekunst said after the NFL draft, Williams will fit Matt LaFleur’s offense to a T. Williams, of course, recognizes this as well and knows that his versatile, do-it-all skill set will be maximized in an offense such as LaFleur’s.

At 6-4 – 222 pounds and with 4.48 speed, Williams filled a variety of roles within the TCU offense. As someone who played quarterback growing up, Williams is comfortable with the ball in his hands.

Over the last two years, Williams had 147 targets during that span. In 2024, as the team’s wildcat quarterback, he carried the ball 51 times, averaging 6.3 yards per rush. Also important to playing the receiver position on LaFleur’s offense is that Williams is a willing blocker as well.

Within LaFleur’s malleable offensive system, there are a variety of ways to get Williams involved. We could see him sharing the backfield with Josh Jacobs in some two running back sets, like we saw last season with Chris Brooks. Williams could be used as a motion man, get the ball on jet sweeps, or on designed touches in space where his impressive YAC abilities–he averaged 7.0 yards after the catch in 2024–can be on display.

“Quickest impact?” Williams said to a question, “Just getting the ball in my hand quick. That’s probably it. But just anything I need. Doing everything I need.”

While what we just described was perhaps more so a gadget-type role, Williams is going to be a wide receiver in Green Bay. Gutekunst highlighted his ability to create separation on vertical routes, and as he has more time to focus solely on the receiver position, Gutekunst anticipates that Williams’ route-running abilities will become more polished.

Williams is joining a talented and competitive Packers’ wide receiver room, but the unique skill set he brings to the offense can help him stand out and carve out a role. But before any sort of role can be established, right now, it is about learning the playbook, which for Williams, can involve a lot of studying, as he mentioned, because there are potentially a variety of responsibilities he could end up having.

From there, whatever LaFleur and the offense needs from Williams, he’s ready to provide.

“Whatever my team need me to do, that’s what I’m going to do,” Williams said. “If coach tell me to get on tight end, I’m gonna play tight end. Get on the line, I’m going to play lineman. Whatever I need to do I’m going to do.”

Two key tasks Packers want to accomplish during rookie minicamp

Paul Bretl | 5/2/2025

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Following the conclusion of the NFL draft last Saturday, it is a quick turnaround for the Packers’ rookies, who arrived at Lambeau Field on Thursday for rookie minicamp, in what is a whirlwind few days for these players as they begin the process of getting acclimated to their new team and competing in the NFL.

Participating in this four-day event are the Packers’ eight draft picks, 10 undrafted free agents, a bevy of tryout hopefuls, and a few returning players who haven’t accrued an NFL season.

Of course, for these players, they’ve accomplished a lifelong dream by making it to this point, so there is an overwhelming amount of excitement and emotions.

“Man, it’s been great,” said Barryn Sorrel about rookie minicamp on Friday. “You just realize that you’re finally here. Like you said, draft day and everything, it was a blessing and great but it was a lot. Time to actually put my cleats in the ground, put my hand in the dirt and do what got me here. I’m just excited to go out there. I’m out there practicing as a Green Bay Packer, it don’t really get better than that to me. You learn about the tradition of this team. You learn about this organization and the people in this organization. I’m just so happy to be apart of this but also, I’m just happy to be playing football another day.”

However, there’s also work to be done. So, what does Matt LaFleur want to accomplish during this portion of the offseason?

 “Just know where these guys are at physically,” LaFleur said on Friday. “I mean, I was just talking to Anthony Belton, and he went on 14 different 30 visits, so it’s hard to be in peak physical condition when you get them in here. So more or less, it’s just try to get these guys a taste of what’s to come, and you know, kind of knock off the jitters a little bit. All these guys are amped up. You just want to get them acclimated as fast as possible because the next time that they’re in here, it’s going to be Phase Two, and they’re going to be in with the vets.”

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For the Packers’ incoming draft picks and UDFAs, this means having two scheduled workouts with the strength and conditioning staff on Friday and Saturday. Then, when the Packers hit the practice field on Saturday morning, there won’t be any full-speed football or 11-on-11, as LaFleur described. Instead, the team will run through an “extended modified individual period,” where the intensity is “scaled back.”

With there truly only being two full days where the rookies are at the facility during this initial minicamp, there’s only so much that can be accomplished. So, one of the key points of emphasis is on beginning to learn the playbook. The expectation is that the players continue to study heavily before they return on May 11th because at that time, they’ll be with the veterans.

“Extremely, extremely difficult,” said LaFleur about learning the playbook. “But everybody’s got a different background in terms of what they’ve been exposed to. So I think some it can be a little bit more challenging than others. That’s why, again, it’s good to get them the information early. That way, I don’t, when they leave here, I expect them to study so that it’s not just you’re starting over when they get here in a week.”

Knowing the importance of this, when the Packers’ recent draft picks were asked on Friday about their goals over the next few days, their responses were all quite similar:

“Just the plays,” said Savion Williams when asked what he wants to get out of these next few days. “Just learning the plays, man. Seeing what I need to do so when I get back next week it just comes smooth.”

Along with having to keep their noses in the playbook, the players will be given a few items specific to their respective games to focus on as well. The Packers’ position coaches are, of course, familiar with the college tape of each of the draft picks and UDFAs and, through the film, have attempted to identify what each player does well and what they can improve upon.

Each rookie is then given a condensed version of their “point of attack tapes,” as LaFleur called it, that showcases what each respective position coach wants their first-year players to focus on. The balance that the Packers want to strike, particularly with rookies, is making sure that they are intentional about everything that they do because that is where growth can be fostered, but also making sure that not too much is put on the plates of these young players, who are tasked with learning a lot in a short time frame.

“I think that that’s an important piece of it is you better know who you’re working with, and you’ve got to try to identify their strengths and weaknesses, at least how you see it and how it fits within our scheme,” LaFleur said. “So we do this with all our players. All of our returning players, any guys we get in free agency. We call them point of attack tapes. And it’s, I guess, a condensed version, you know, maybe it might be 20-30, clips, say, here’s the things that we think you do really well, and here are the one to two things that where we would like you to focus on throughout the course of the offseason. If you master that, then we’ll give ‘em something else.”

Once rookie minicamp is over, everyone, including the veterans, will reconvene for Phase II of voluntary offseason programs. During Phase II, teams can be on the practice field for the first time this offseason and go through individual and group drills.

This is the time of the year, especially for first-year players, when the foundation for everything that’s going to come their way is laid.

“I think it’s important to try to acclimate them as fast as humanly possible, and I think it’s a great, I guess, advantage of bringing them early,” LaFleur added. “That way, when they leave, they’ve got a sense of direction of what they need to do, what’s going to be asked of them when they come back.”

NFL draft again showcases belief Packers have in their cornerback room

Paul Bretl | 5/1/2025

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Even with the unknowns swirling at the cornerback position this offseason, the Packers didn’t address that unit in the NFL draft until the seventh-round when they selected Tulane’s Micah Robinson.

“I don’t really go in there with like those kind of priorities,” said Brian Gutekunst about not adding a cornerback until late in the draft. “We build our board and we try to stay true to our evaluations. Other than that, we let the board come to us. Every draft class is a little bit different, so it wasn’t something we were going to chase.”

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While cornerback was considered a top priority by the outside world, it’s not as if the Packers haven’t added to the cornerback position this offseason. In free agency, the team did sign Nate Hobbs to a four-year, $48 million deal, adding another experienced and versatile presence to the secondary.

And whether you agree, disagree, or are indifferent, for a year now, as Gutekunst and Matt LaFleur have answered questions about the Packers’ cornerback position, internally, Green Bay has remained bullish about this unit.

“I think he played really, really well,” Gutekunst said after the season of Keisean Nixon’s play. “I think he really fit what Jeff (Hafley) was trying to do. First of all, he’s an outstanding competitor. I didn’t blink when we asked him to do that, but I just think his athleticism and his ability … with his eyes and his ability to tackle served us well out there. For me, he may not have the length that some of those guys on the outside have, but his awareness and ball skills make up for that.”

Keisean Nixon last season allowed a completion rate of 66% on 86 targets and held opponents to just 9.3 yards per catch with six pass breakups and an interception. Among cornerbacks who played at least 375 coverage snaps, only seven had a lower yards-per-catch allowed than Nixon.

Valentine, meanwhile, took control of the CB2 role over the second half of the season and came away with two interceptions in the final four games, along with holding pass-catchers to under 11.0 yards per catch in five of the final six games last season.

“I feel like when you go and watch the tape and look at it throughout the course of the season, I think our style of play just continued to improve, and I thithink at the end of the season we were playing some really good football,” Matt LaFleur said of the Packers’ defense. “You could argue we played one of our better games defensively in that playoff game vs. Philly. Just got put in some bad situations via turnovers throughout the course of the game.”

Even though the Packers navigated uncertainty at the cornerback position last season when they were without Jaire Alexander, this unit often was able to keep opponents in check. For the season, the Packers’ 6.4 yards per pass attempt allowed was the 10th lowest in the NFL. The passer rating for opposing quarterbacks was the 11th lowest as well.

In the instances where we did see opponents have success against the Packers’ secondary, such as in the Minnesota and Detroit games in the second half of the season, a lackluster pass rush contributed to those results. Most secondaries are going to have issues if asked to routinely defend for three or four seconds.

Perhaps also contributing to Green Bay’s confidence in this unit is the return of Jaire Alexander. It was reported after the draft by ESPN’s Rob Demovsky that a return for the 2025 season remains possible. Obviously, this room takes on a very different complexion with Alexander in the mix.

Although some unknowns at this position remain, what also cannot be overlooked is one advantage that the Packers’ secondary as a whole has, and that is versatility, an element that is then maximized within Jeff Hafley’s defensive scheme.

The Packers believe Hobbs can play inside and out, just as Nixon can. At safety, we saw Javon Bullard play both free safety and in the nickel, which Green Bay believes Evan Williams can do as well, and then Xavier McKinney fills a do-it-all role from the safety spot.

Versatility is obviously a crucial element for a few reasons. One of which is that injuries happen. However, when that occurs, the ability to move your starters around to fill different roles hopefully minimizes the absence of the player who is sidelined.

But in addition to that important aspect, a versatile defense can put a lot on the plate for an opposing offense. From a preparation standpoint, there’s a lot to watch and be ready for throughout the week when the defense is putting a variety of looks on tape.

Then pre-snap, quarterbacks won’t as easily get a beat on what’s coming based solely on where defenders are lined up because it’s either a different look or where players are aligned could change once the ball is snapped.

“You start having these different packages of people so you can get guys in different roles so you can create some mismatches,” Hafley said last season. “So you take advantage of situations. So you put yourself in better position to have success.”

All of this isn’t to say that there isn’t room for growth. While overall, the Packers’ cornerback room in 2024 was very good at limiting big plays, quarterbacks were efficient when targeting both Nixon and Valentine. Even when only surrendering 10 yards per catch–which is good for a boundary cornerback–if you’re giving up three receptions on every four targets, that’s a lot of first downs for the offense, which in turn keeps them on the field.

In addition to that, beyond McKinney’s interceptions at safety, there wasn’t much ball production with Green Bay ranking 31st in pass deflections. There also happens to be quite a bit of inexperience on the roster at this position as well, once you get past Alexander, Hobbs, Valentine, and Nixon on the depth chart.

Having said all of that, at just about every position, there are always likely to be some sort of question marks. But at the top of the cornerback depth chart, the Packers like the tape, past production, and Hafley’s ability to maximize the skill sets they have.

“We feel pretty good about our group right now,” Gutekunst added. “The guys that we have in that room, they’ve got some pelts on the wall, so to speak, as far as what they’ve been able to do in the National Football League. So, we’ll kind of see how that goes.”

What If: Bucks Need a New Head Coach

By: Aaron Morse 4/30/2025

The Doc Rivers hiring has not gone well in Milwaukee. It hasn’t been ridiculously bad, but things could have went much better.

And if you follow the team any but closely, you know what those things are- game plans, adjustments, and lineup rotations- especially in the playoffs.

While Rivers hasn’t been fired yet, there is a possibility he does get let go and there could be/are better options on the market.

When they were searching for the new head coach after Mike Budenholzer, I gave my thoughts on the best choices for the team moving forward in a few different tiers of preference… And *pat on the back* I did pretty well.

So, I am going to do it again.

TIER 1

Erik Spoelstra
He was a candidate the last time I did this, but he was more of a pipe dream. This time around I think it is much more likely he is available. His team just went eight games under .500 and despite getting in as the eight seed, they looked TERRIBLE and were swept by the Cavaliers in the most lopsided series in NBA history.
Spoelstra is a mastermind strategist and gets more out of his players than any other coach. He was able to navigate the Miami Heat when they had LeBron, Wade, and Bosh. And now he is doing it with a bunch of undrafted dudes.

Why would the Heat move on from such a good coach?
Sometimes, it is just time. See Andy Reid and the Eagles. Or Belichick and the Patriots. Or Phil Jackson.

Spoelstra could be on the move and the Bucks have to be ready to pounce.

Chris Quinn
If you can’t get ‘Spo’ then get his right hand man. Quinn played for the Heat for four seasons all with Spoelstra on the staff in some capacity.
Then Quinn joined the staff right after retiring from playing in 2014. Quinn has been referred to as Spoelstra’s “mini me”. And longtime Miami Heat player Udonis Haslem said about Quinn:

“When you listen to Quinny, you’re hearing Spo. It’s the same message. He has the knowledge, the experience, the relationship with the players. He has every base covered when you talk about checking the boxes to have the ability to be a successful head coach.”

Mike Brown
Brown was just inexplicably fired by the Kings in the middle of the season. He was the catalyst behind the Kings return to prominence a couple years ago and made the playoffs in 2022 which ended a 16 year drought for the franchise. The only reason he is available is because the Kings front office/ownership is mostly incompetent.
Brown is twice a Coach of the Year winner and has won an NBA Championship four times as an assistant coach- once with the Spurs (2003) and three times with the Warriors (‘17, ‘19, ’22). He also led a young LeBron James and the Cavaliers to the Finals in 2007.

TIER 2

Michael Malone
Malone was fired three games before the end of the regular season which gives me pause in terms of wanting to hire him. Something weird was going on their and reports are that there was strife between Malone and the front office.
He is the winningest coach in Nuggets history and won a championship in 2023. He has experience coaching a team similar to what the Bucks are. And like Brown, inexplicably fired by the Kings before heading to Denver.

Micah Nori
Nori is currently the lead assistant for the Timberwolves. He was tied for the best assistant coach in the league in a General Mangers survey last year.
Nori took over for Chris Finch in the playoffs last year after Finch ruptured his patellar tendon in game four in the first round. Finch was still operating as the Head Coach except for in-game situations because of immobility. Nori helped lead them to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in 20 years.

TIER 3

Jeff Van Gundy
I really like the approach Van Gundy brings to the game. He was a longtime ESPN color commentator on the league’s biggest games (17 years) before joining the Clippers staff this year to be the lead assistant which shows his interest in coaching again. Previously, he was the head coach of the Knicks and Rockets from 1996-2007 where he appeared in one finals with the Knicks in 1999.

Biggest worry: His length away from coaching and not being able to grasp this era of the game

James Borrego
Currently the Associate Head Coach with the Pelicans, Borrego coached the Hornets for four seasons. He led them to improvements in each year however, never made the playoffs despite his last year finishing with a 43-39 record in 2022 which was the first winning season since 2016. He was a long time assistant under Gregg Popovich and won two championships.

Biggest worry: No playoff appearance as a HC and lack of experience with a superstar

Sam Cassell
He was the other coach who tied Nori as the top voted assistant in 2024. He has been an assistant coach since 2008 and is currently with the Celtics who won the title last year. He played in the league for 15 years and won three championships. He has experience in Milwaukee as a player from 1999-2003.

Biggest worry: Was an assistant under Doc River for 9 seasons

TIER 4- “The Others”

Terry Stotts
Joined the Bucks staff when they hired Adrian Griffin due to his relationship with Damian Lillard but left before the season started because of strife with Griffin’s method of coaching. Very good offensive coach, but not great on the defensive side.

Dave Joerger
Currently on the Bucks staff so he has familiarity with what is going on. He has experience as the head coach with Memphis and Sacramento (there’s that team again) with good understanding of scheming on both sides of the court.

Taylor Jenkins
Like Malone, fired just before the playoffs. He had trouble scheming offense and defense for a team led by a star (Ja Morant) with great pieces around him.

Frank Vogel
Won a title with the Lakers in 2020 so he has experience coaching at the highest level with a huge superstar. But, he has a short shelf life and doesn’t have a good reputation with locker room control and leadership.

Steve Nash
Feels VERY similar to Jason Kidd in terms of coaching style. Has experience with a messy situation when he coached Brooklyn with KD, Harden, and Kyrie.

Again, Doc HAS NOT been fired yet. But he could. And should. I would take almost every single one of these coaches over Doc.

Packers prioritize building size and depth of OL this offseason

Paul Bretl | 4/30/2025

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Many outside of the Packers’ organization entered the offseason thinking that the pass rush, cornerback, and wide receiver were the top positions of need for Green Bay to address. Internally, however, while not to say that GM Brian Gutekunst and Co. didn’t agree, the actions of the Packers over the last few months tell us that the offensive line is a clear area of improvement for this team.

“We’re always looking for opportunities to upgrade and/or bring in more competition,” said Matt LaFleur after the NFL draft. “I think that’s exactly what we did.”

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Between free agency and the NFL, the Packers signed Aaron Banks to a four-year, $77 million deal, and with–by their standards–relatively limited draft capital with only eight selections, spent two picks on the offensive line, including a premium second-round selection on Anthony Belton.

The play from the Packers’ offensive line unit in 2024 certainly wasn’t bad. In fact, this was one of the better collective units in pass protection, and after the season, Gutekunst acknowledged the group performed well in that regard.

However, as we’ve discussed before, if there is an area of opportunity for this starting unit, generating more explosive runs is at–or near–the top of that to-do list. As effective as Josh Jacobs and the run game were, Jacobs averaged a modest 4.4 yards per rush and ranked 32nd in PFF’s breakaway rate metric, which measures how often a back generates a run of 15-plus yards.

Those two stats aren’t about Jacobs; rather, it’s about the offensive line giving him more opportunities to get to the second level cleanly, where we know Jacobs can make defenders miss.

“Well you wanna get bigger as long as they’re talented, so I think it all goes hand in hand,” LaFleur added. “And I think it was pretty evident last year when you look at a team like Philly. I mean they dominated most teams up front on their offensive line as well as their defensive line, so I think in order to combat some of these teams that have elite pass rushes, you better be able to protect the quarterback and run the ball.

“So I thought to add big guys that can actually move, I think that’s a big-time positive for us.”

With that said, the emphasis on the offensive line this offseason goes beyond that one factor. We saw a shift last season with the Green Bay offense, which went from running a heavy dose of outside zone, where the offensive linemen are on the move and operating in space while the running back drifts towards the boundary before cutting upfield, to a more gap and power running scheme between the tackles.

The addition of Banks, moving Jenkins to center, and then adding Belton early in the draft tells us that this running style isn’t going anywhere, and the Packers are going to lean into that power scheme.

As Gutekunst said during his end-of-season press conference, while you never want to overreact to one game, the Packers’ offensive line depth was exposed during their playoff loss to Philadelphia. The already difficult task of moving the ball against the Eagles’ defense became even more daunting with Jordan Love facing constant pressure and the inability to rely on the run game.

And while the Packers benefited more than any other team in 2024 from continuity and health up front, the data tells us that many teams aren’t only going to need six capable linemen to get through an NFL season, but seven or even eight.

The Packers have now positioned themselves where one of Jordan Morgan or Rasheed Walker will be coming off the bench, along with incoming draft picks Belton and John Williams, while Travis Glover and Kadeem Telfort are returning as well.

From top to bottom of this Packers’ depth at the offensive line position, there are two qualities that are clearly evident with just about every player: size and versatility.

“I think for me there’s a skillset that they have to have to be able to play both tackle and guard,” Gutekunst said. “That’s been a big emphasis for us, we like to have guys that can play both. You’re either going to be a tackle-guard swing guy, a guard-center swing guy or a tackle-center swing guy. You’ve got to be able to play multiple spots. We’ve had a ton of luck throughout my years here of taking guys who played left tackle and moving them inside.”

Gutekunst would go on to add: “The big thing for me with the big guys, with what Matt likes to do on offense, is whether they’re inside or out, do they have enough quickness to get their head across the shade. And all these guys that we’ve taken, we feel pretty good about that.”

Ultimately, we have to see how this unit performs once the season begins, but on paper, which is all we have to go off of this time of the year, the Packers have better positioned themselves along the offensive, and did so not only for the 2025 season, but in 2026, where as of now, Walker, Sean Rhyan, and Zach Tom are all set to be free agents.

Of course, there is a long way to go before these decisions are made, but the Packers have potentially positioned themselves to be able to absorb losing Walker and/or Rhyan, with Morgan taking over at left tackle and Belton at right guard, while having Williams and Glover, among others, as depth off the bench.

As we detailed at the start of the offseason, the recipe was always there for Gutekunst to once again invest fairly heavily into the trenches, which he did.

Naturally, all eyes are on Jordan Love and the passing game, but consistent success for the Packers’ offense begins with stout play up front that provides a running game to lean on and gives Love time in the pocket to operate within the rhythm of the play.

“I think we really increased the competition across the board,” said Gutekunst. “I think I spoke before, I felt really good about our football team coming into this draft. We did some things in free agency and just where our team was in general that I felt really, really good about it. Certainly we increased the competition in a lot of spots.

“I think we were able to add, particularly these three days and even in free agency, pretty good culture fits, you know, guys that are going to fit into our locker room and be assets to us that way.”

Did the Packers address their pass rush enough this offseason?

Paul Bretl | 4/29/2025

GREEN BAY, Wis. — The first addition that the Packers made to the defensive front all offseason, including in free agency, came on Day 3 of the NFL draft. GM Brian Gutekunst would then leverage the depth that this year’s draft class had along the defensive front by making three selections at the end or the tackle positions on that final day.

But with the roster shaping now largely completed for the 2025 season, did Gutekunst do enough to bolster the pass rush?

“It wasn’t something we were avoiding,” Gutekunst said about adding to the defensive line. “It was something that again if the right opportunity was there we were going to strike and we were really excited about the guys we got today. I do think we have a number of players that are coming into their own. There’s a number of young players that are coming into their own and should play their best football in front of them.”

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As Gutekunst said at the NFL combine, if the Packers are going to accomplish the goals that they have in 2025, then the pass rush has to be more consistent.

This was a unit last season that, in pivotal late-season games against Detroit, Minnesota, and Philadelphia, those three quarterbacks were pressured on a combined 30.6% of their dropbacks in those three games, according to PFF. For some context around that figure, over the course of the NFL season, Dallas’ Dak Prescott was pressured on 30.9% of his dropbacks, which compared to the rest of the NFL, ranked 34th out of 43 eligible quarterbacks.

As Gutekunst said, there were some strong pass rush performances last season and if you look at the raw pressure and sack numbers, the Packers ranked decently in those categories. However, looking specifically at the front four’s ability to win consistently in 2024, the Packers’ ranked 26th in ESPN’s pass-rush win rate metric as well, which tells the more accurate story of last season’s performance.

Although as the draft unfolded, things played out in a way where the Packers were able to take advantage of the defensive line depth in this class, it’s not as if Green Bay was ignoring that position group on the first two days of the draft. As Gutekunst said following Day 2, you build out the board during the pre-draft process and trust that work. Just because there is a specific positional need, “you can’t create stuff.”

Improved play from the Packers’ pass rush unit was likely always going to have to be a multi-faceted approach. The answer to the question of ‘how does this unit get more consistent’ wasn’t going to be in the form of one addition.

A big part of the equation is going to have to be improved play from those who are already on the roster. Yes, improved play is needed, but it’s not as if this is a position group void of talent either. The Packers have invested heavily into the defensive front, both in terms of salary cap space and draft capital over the years.

The team also hired a new defensive line coach this offseason, in former New England Patriots’ defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington, who, as LaFleur said on Sunday, “may be some new ideas that we can implement.”

“I feel very good about the guys that we’ve got in the building,” Gutekunst said. “We do need to improve with our consistency. But there were times we were pretty dominant this year rushing the passer.”

Along with what the Packers hope is improved play up front, Gutekunst believes the additions that they made on Day 3 can help out right away as well.

At defensive end, Barryn Sorrell is an ascending player, whose production has increased during each of his seasons at Texas. He’s also proven that he can hold up in the run game and has the versatility to line up across multiple gaps.

Collin Oliver, meanwhile, brings a change-up to the Packers’ pass rush unit. For one, he can play off-ball linebacker as well, but from a pass-rush perspective, at 240 pounds, he brings a speed element that isn’t otherwise on the roster at that position. Director of Football Operations Milt Hendrickson discussed the importance in today’s game of being able to win quickly, given how prominent the quick passing game is.

In addition to that, Oliver’s presence could provide some alignment versatility up front. For example on an obvious passing down, Oliver at one of the defensive end spots could allow Rashan Gary or Lukas Van Ness to pass rush from inside.

“Absolutely,” said Gutekunst about both Sorrell and Oliver contributing this season. “Obviously there’s going to be a transition there, but they’re two different guys. One guy wins with a lot of power and length and hands. The other guy’s got some athleticism and speed who’s played on his feet a little bit, as well. so I think there’s some versatility there. So yeah, I think both of those guys can contribute, but again we’ll see. Those guys coming into the National Football League it’s a whole different ball game. But I think both those guys can compete.”

Then, at defensive tackle, Warren Brinson brings size and athleticism to that unit, and as Gutekunst described, he has more natural pass rush abilities. Coming from the pro-style Georgia defense, Brinson has worn a variety of hats and filled a number of roles in that scheme, allowing him to add more versatility and pass rush “juice,” as he put it, to the defensive front.

“Brinson, he’s a bigger body interior player, so it’s not so much on the edge but just adding value inside,” Matt LaFleur said. “Losing a guy like TJ Slaton, you want to replace that, and so we’re hopeful he can come in here and do some of the dirty work in that regard.”

The third piece to this pass rush puzzle is Jeff Hafley and his defensive scheme. When hired, the thought was that this was going to be a pass rush unit that relied heavily on the four-man front pinning its ears back and getting after the quarterback.

However, as the 2024 season unfolded, and the front four battled inconsistency, Hafley had to get more creative when it came to drumming up pressures. This included dialing up more blitzes and using more simulated pressures to help create one-on-one matchups or to get a free rusher.

That evolution as the season progressed showcased Hafley’s willingness to adapt and to mold the defensive scheme to what fit his defense best, and from the sounds of it, the Packers are going to continue to lean into that.

“I don’t think necessarily we want to go back to that, to be honest with you,” said LaFleur about rushing only four. “Just coming from an offensive perspective, it definitely is harder to prepare for somebody that can throw a variety of things at you. You talk about front variation.

“But I think what is absolutely critical in terms of having defensive success in this league is the style of play. I don’t know how you guys feel, but I feel like when you go and watch the tape and look at it throughout the course of the season, I think our style of play just continued to improve, and I thithink at the end of the season we were playing some really good football.”

Now, of course, this doesn’t mean that the play of the front four can remain status quo heading into 2025. Winning more often will only enhance what Hafley is drawing up, but also true, Hafley throwing different looks at offenses can help shoulder some of that pass rush burden.

“I think that flexibility is great,” Gutekunst said of the pass rushing abilities the Packers have at linebacker, “and I think the second year in Haf’s scheme too, and as he really understands what we have in our players and how he sees them, that will help as well.”

Whether or not this overarching approach to improve the Packers’ pass rush will work ultimately has to play out on the football field.

As we’ve said before, the ceiling for this Packers’ defense as a whole is going to be determined by how effective the pass rush is. When it’s working, every defender on the field benefits from that unit. But when the front isn’t getting home, the jobs of every other defender on the field become much more difficult.

“I like our versatility right now,’ Gutekunst added, “and we’ll kinda see how Haf sees it this year and how he puts those guys in position, but I’m excited about it.”

Packers sign former top 10 pick and versatile LB/S hybrid defender Isaiah Simmons

Paul Bretl | 4/28/2025

GREEN BAY, Wis. — After having linebacker Isaiah Simmons in for a visit earlier this month, Ian Rapoport reported that the Packers have signed the free agent to a one-year deal.

Simmons, the eighth overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft, may be listed as a linebacker, but he brings a very unique skill set to the Packers’ defense, as a linebacker/safety hybrid, who can pass rush one play, line in the slot on another, or cover the middle of the field.

“He could do a lot of different things. Explosive, athletic. That’s why he was picked where he was picked,” said New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll.

Measuring in at 6-4 and weighing 238 pounds, Simmons is a terrific athlete who posted a Relative Athletic Score of 9.97 during the pre-draft process in 2020. This included running a 4.39-second 40-yard dash.

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As eluded to, Simmons can handle a variety of roles defensively. According to PFF, over his five NFL seasons, he has spent 1,325 snaps in the box, another 583 along the defensive front as a pass rusher, and 796 in the slot.

“I would do everything in college,” Simmons said. “Just kind of like a Swiss Army knife, move me around because I’m able to show what I can really do. I wouldn’t say I’m really tied down to one position.

However, there’s a reason that the versatile and uber-athletic former eighth overall pick is a free agent–the production hasn’t been there throughout his career.

Simmons spent just three seasons with Arizona–the team that drafted him–and didn’t make it through his rookie deal before the team traded him to the New York Giants in 2023. Over the last two years, Simmons has been on the field for fewer than 600 defensive snaps, including only 181 last season.

Over the last two years in particular, missed tackles have been an issue, although it has been a relatively small sample size, while quarterbacks have been efficient when targeting him in coverage.

Like we’ve seen in the past under GM Brian Gutekunst, additions like Sammy Watkins or Andre Dillard last year, he’s willing to bring in high draft pedigree players to see if, in the right system and environment, there is more production to be had.

While we do not know Simmons’ contract details at this time, I’ll guess that this is a deal that the Packers could get out of fairly easily later this summer if needed. So he likely isn’t even a lock to make the 53-man roster.

But as the Packers continue to shape the defense in Jeff Hafley’s image, versatility has been a priority through free agency and the draft, not to mention that Simmons and fifth-round draft pick Collin Oliver bring some unique skill sets to the defense.

While Simmons is a hybrid between a safety and a linebacker, Oliver has experience playing off-ball linebacker and pass rusher from his time at Oklahoma State. At 240 pounds, he doesn’t fit the usual big-bodied mold we see the Packers’ covet at defensive end either, and can provide that unit with a change-up with his speed.

That general versatility element throughout the Packers’ defense gives Hafley a lot of flexibility as he builds out his weekly game plans, where he can really customize things based on the opponent. This can also make the defense difficult to game plan against with there potentially being so much film to watch, new looks being shown in game, and not being able to get a beat on what’s coming, just based on where everyone is lined up.

“You start having these different packages of people so you can get guys in different roles so you can create some mismatches,” Hafley said last season. “So you take advantage of situations. So you put yourself in better position to have success. 

There is still a long ways to go when it comes to figuring out if Simmons is going to be on the team, let alone what his role might be. But with his size and athleticism, he can provide immense special teams value, having played 566 career snaps across four of the six different phases.

On defense–if it gets to this point–Simmons’ presence as a potential pass rusher could provide a change of pace at defensive end and allow Rashan Gary or Lukas Van Ness, for example, to kick inside on obvious passing downs. He could also see snaps as a dime defender during obvious passing situations, patrolling the middle of the field or as a blitzer.

Again, we will have to see what transpires, but with Simmons’ versatility, there are options for the Packers, whether he provides depth, fills a niche role, or is a possible special teams ace.

Texas DE Barryn Sorrell ready to work and show what he can add to Packers defensive front

Paul Bretl | 4/28/2025

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Texas defensive end Barryn Sorrell became an instant fan favorite among Packers fans after the team selected him.

Sorrell wasn’t going to be a first-round draft pick, so he was not on the list of invitees who sat in the green room on Thursday evening. However, a fan of the NFL and the draft for as long as he can remember, Sorrell wanted to experience the event in person.

During Round 1, Sorrell watched the draft from his hotel room with family. Then on Day 2, he sat backstage in the green room, anticipating that his name would be called, but it never was. On Saturday, Sorrell faced a decision: head back home or stick around to hear his name called. Sorrell decided to stay in Green Bay one more day, and it was well worth it.

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In the Packers’ war room, where Brian Gutekunst and Co. watch the draft unfold and make their selections, they had no idea that when they drafted Sorrell, he was on site. Commissioner Roger Goodell typically only announces the first-round draft picks, but with Sorrell backstage, he made an exception. After his name was called, Sorrell emerged onto the stage to give Goodell that big hug and to be greeted by the fan base for the first time.

“What a cool moment that was,” said Packers Director of Football Operations Milt Hendrickson. “We did not know he was here, in the sense that wasn’t the reason we picked him. Some things are just meant to be, and it was a pretty cool moment both for him and I think for the organization as well. Really love what he brings both as a human being, just the ruggedness and physicality this guy plays with. If you define him, I just say he’s a football player. He’s going to make us better. He’s going to make that room better.”

From there, Sorrell made his way through the crowd and stood atop a platform in the middle of the sea of people while he chanted “Go Pack Go” with the fans. Sorrell then made his way into the Lambeau Field bowl, where more fans awaited him and he made his first Lambeau Leap.

After each draft pick is made, we in the media have the opportunity to speak to each draftee over the phone. But with Sorrell in Green Bay, he made his way to the podium in the media auditorium.

Sorrell described the previous three days and what this whirlwind experience had been like. In the front row as he fielded questions were his family, whom Sorrell wanted to make sure they too got to experience everything with him. As Sorrell described, fighting back tears, a lot of sacrifices were made by his family throughout the years so that he could have the opportunity to hear his name called in the NFL draft.

“They sacrificed so much for me to be — they sacrificed so much for me to be here, and I’m just happy that I get to share this opportunity with them because they deserve it,” Sorrell said. “They deserve it so much.”

On the field, Sorrell brings that typical bigger-bodied presence to the defensive end position that we know the Packers’ covet. And like many draft picks before him, Sorrell was a Senior Bowl participant and standout performer, where Packers’ defensive quality control coach, Wendel Davis, was one of his coaches during that week.

Sorrell’s pass rush production increased each season at Texas, going from 33 pressures in 2022 to 39 in 2023, to a career-high 49 pressures this past season, which included nine sacks as well, according to PFF. For some context, those 49 pressures ranked as the 18th most among all defensive ends.

Sorrell has also proven to be stout against the run, another important element for the Packers as they evaluate the defensive end position. He brings an added level of versatility to the Packers’ front as well, having lined up across multiple gaps during his time at Texas.

“First of all, exceptionally durable,” said Gutekunst of Sorrell. “He’s been productive for multiple years at Texas. He’s strong, he’s wired exactly the way. Very, very smart, very, very technique sound, he’s got really strong hands to knock blockers off balance and then his ability to finish this year – he improved every year – but this year I thought he really showed an ability to finish that he took his game to a different level.

“But he’s been improving the entire time. When you talk to the people at Texas who do such a good job down there developing players, he was first class. They couldn’t say enough good things about him. We were pretty excited to turn that one in.”

Sorrell is ready to be a “sponge,” as he put it, and learn from Rashan Gary, a player who has a similar body type to Sorrell and someone whom Sorrell has watched tape of over the years, trying to learn and “emulate” how Gary operates as a pass rusher.

However, Sorrell also made it clear that he is ready to add to this Packers’ defense as well. The pass rush unit, specifically, is on the hunt for more consistency in 2025.

As Sorrell described, the Packers are getting a leader, a winner, and a competitor, but he chose not to go into detail about the specifics of what he can provide on the field. Instead, he’s going to get to work and show everyone what he can add.

“For me, I’m going to say I’m a leader, I’m a winner and I’m a competitor,” said Sorrell. “I’ve shown that in my time at Texas, just developing, and I feel like that’s the most important thing about a football player. I could say specifically and go on and on about the skills and all this and all that, but I’d rather just show you, and I’m just going to speak about my personality and I’m ready to get to work.”

CB Micah Robinson, OT John Williams look to be next 7th round contributors for Packers

Paul Bretl | 4/27/2025

GREEN BAY, Wis. — NFL teams aren’t going to bank on their seventh-round selections being starters at key positions one day. However, the Packers have two examples on their current roster of how a prospect’s draft status can take a back seat when a team brings in a player who is the right fit for what they want to accomplish on and off the field.

Rasheed Walker, the 249th overall pick in 2022, has started 32 games at left tackle for the Packers over the last two seasons. Then there is Carrington Valentine, the 232nd overall pick in 2023, who has appeared in 32 games over the last two years, which includes 19 starts at cornerback.

Tulane cornerback Micah Robinson, the 237th pick overall in this year’s draft, and Cincinnati offensive tackle John Williams, the 250th overall pick, begin their journey in Green Bay and hope to find themselves on similar paths as Walker and Valentine.

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“I am familiar,” said Williams about Walker’s path. “That was one thing I really loved about Green Bay was how they like to develop players. That was a big thing for me when I visited.”

At just under 5-11 and weighing 183 pounds, Robinson doesn’t have the size and length that we often see from Packers’ cornerbacks. But as GM Brian Gutekunst described after the NFL draft, Robinson’s footwork, ability to play off-man coverage, and his speed–he ran a 4.38–is why the Packers were comfortable selecting him.

“He’s got great feet, he can play off-man coverage, which is one of the harder things to do,” Gutekunst said. “He took up a step from Furman to Tulane, and really played really, really well in his first season there. So I think as he gets more reps against really better competition, I think he’s going ot continue to improve. He doesn’t have elite size, but I thought his speed and his ability as an athlete to stay with guys, particularly from playing off coverage which is so hard, and he’s got great ball skills.”

Robinson spent his first four college seasons playing at the FCS level with Furman. He then transferred to Tulane for the 2024 season. Now up against FBS competition, Robinson had a career year in many respects. According to PFF, he allowed a completion rate of just 47% on 47 targets and held opponents to a modest 11.5 yards per catch lining up on the boundary.

Throughout his career, he’s had strong ball production as well, with seven interceptions and 15 pass breakups over the last three years.

“I can play any position,” Robinson said on a conference call. “I can play nickel. I can play corner. I can play safety as well as special teams. I’m physical at the line of scrimmage. I feel good playing off-man coverage. I also come up and I travel, I’ll hit.”

Robinson may end up having as good of a chance as any seventh-round pick to make the 53-man roster in Green Bay. At cornerback, there is the uncertainty around Jaire Alexander’s future, and then on the depth chart beyond Valentine, Nate Hobbs, and Keisean Nixon, there is almost no NFL experience.

Williams, meanwhile, comes to Green Bay after starting at left tackle for Cincinnati the last two seasons. From Year 1 to Year 2 as a starter, Williams made massive strides. He went from allowing 14 pressures and two sacks in 2023 to just eight pressures and one sack in 2024. In fact, among all FBS tackles, Williams finished last season ranked fifth in pass-blocking efficiency.

“I think my pass protection has grown an immeasurable amount in these last–honestly in just this last year,” Williams said. “If you just watch the tape from 2023 to 2024 it’s like a completely different player, and I think that’s really what’s going to translate. Our O-line coach Nic Cardwell has done such a great job implementing an NFL style system for all of our pass protections and it’s just paid off in, I don’t even know how to describe how much.”

Williams measured in at 6-4 and weighed 322 pounds. All of his snaps at the college level have come at the tackle position, but not surprisingly, the Packers believe he has the skill set–and intelligence as an Aerospace engineering major–to move inside to play guard.

“He’s got great length, exceptionally bright,” said Gutekunst of Williams. “Really, really, really smart. He’s got the versatility to play left tackle and guard. He probably could play center because he’s smart enough to, he’s one of the few guys who can really play with full extension with his hands, and is moving his feet at the same time.

“We were down there in the seventh round, and it’s unusual for a guy who can tackle and guard, play four spots for you, to be down there at that spot.”

Adding Williams to the mix along the Packers’ offensive line will improve the depth of this unit, something that was needed after what we saw in Green Bay’s playoff loss to Philadelphia. As Gutekunst has mentioned, you never want to overreact to one game, but the data also tells us that having seven-plus offensive linemen that can be counted on is a near necessity.

Williams’ presence in 2025 can raise the level of competition on the middle to back-end portion of the Packers’ offensive line depth chart, and have them better prepared for 2026, when Walker, Sean Rhyan, and Zach Tom are all set to be free agents.

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