If the Green Bay Packers are going to have any success during the 2023 season, their defense is going to have to play at a high level. With how inexperienced the offense is being led by Jordan Love, a big defensive performance will go a long way.
As things currently stand, the Packers definitely have the pieces in place to have a strong defense. Their outlook will be even stronger if Rashan Gary is healthy enough to get in the lineup in Week 1 after tearing his ACL in Week 9 last season.
Year 2 leaps from defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt and linebacker Quay Walker would go a long way in fixing their run defense woes as well. Green Bay was among the worst run-defending teams in the NFL last season but expanded roles and another year of experience for the Georgia duo could do wonders.
The strength of this defense, however, is against the pass. Jaire Alexander is a star cornerback and Rasul Douglas has played at a high level opposite of him. 2021 first-round pick Eric Stokes has also shown flashes of lockdown abilities but he needs to focus on getting healthy after his 2022 season was ended prematurely.
While the pass defense is strong overall, the safety position is arguably the weakest unit on the entire roster. Darnell Savage Jr. had a brutal 2022 and with Adrian Amos moving on in free agency, the team is also lacking starting experience. The only player other than Savage who has any is free agent signing Jonathan Owens.
That is what makes free agent safety John Johnson a good fit for the Packers in the opinion of Maurice Moton over at Bleacher Report. It is a bit surprising that he remains a free agent at this point as he has been a steady producer throughout his career with the Los Angeles Rams and Cleveland Browns.
Johnson hasn’t allowed a passer rating over 82.8 since 2018 and has excelled no matter the role he is asked to play. He has lined up at both safety spots and as a slot corner, providing any defense he joins with excellent versatility.
That would make him a great fit for the Packers as they try and figure out what the best course of action is to get Savage back on track. If players such as Rudy Ford and Tarvarius Moore excel in one area and not another, Johnson can be used to cover up for their deficiencies as well.
At this stage of the offseason, you are unlikely to find a player that can be as impactful as Johnson. The Packers would be smart to scoop him up before another team seeking out safety help does.