The Green Bay Packers have some nice pieces on their roster that could lead to them surprising people during the 2023 season. Alas, they are far from perfect, as there are certainly a few different areas of need on the team.
Heading into training camp, the safety position looks like their biggest weakness. They are short on established, productive veterans and could once again be in a bind on their last line of defense if additions aren’t made.
Overall, depth on the defense right now is lacking. The Packers have some injuries they are looking to overcome, such as with Eric Stokes at cornerback. But, it is along the first line of defense in the trenches where some real issues exist.
Over at Bleacher Report, Alex Ballentine listed the defensive line depth as one of the biggest weaknesses on the roster. Veterans Dean Lowry and Jarran Reed both left in free agency, leaving a huge void in the lineup. How big of a void? Those two played 1,187 combined snaps last season.
While some will argue letting those two go isn’t the worst thing, as Green Bay struggled mightily slowing down the run last season and they were two mainstays on the unit, that is a lot of experience and playing time to fill. Kenny Clark remains a force from the interior of the line, but other players are going to have to step up.
The Packers are going to be relying on youngsters Devonte Wyatt and TJ Slaton to take on bigger roles this season and used their first-round pick on Lukas Van Ness out of Iowa. There is certainly some upside in this unit, but the depth is paper thin.
Defensive coordinator Joe Barry may have to adjust his game plan if more depth isn’t added in the coming weeks. This is a unit the Packers usually have a big rotation at, but right now, that isn’t something they are built to do.
That will put a lot of pressure on the starters to not only perform but stay healthy and remain on the field for heavy snaps. That is a risky proposition for the Packers, as it would benefit them to bring in some established veterans before the season gets underway.
