There is an important off-season ahead for the Green Bay Packers. The Packers are aiming for more in 2024 after surpassing predictions in 2023 and making it to the divisional round of the playoffs. Late in the season, Jordan Love and the Packers offense found its groove, which helped them advance to the second round of the playoffs.
But occasionally, the defense fell short of expectations. One report has surfaced recently that could help with that.
The 24-year-old was selected by the Green Bay Packers from the Baltimore Ravens.
The Packers should be more active in the second and third waves of free agency since Gutekunst hasn’t made it a habit to pursue bit-name guys. Continuing to establish depth in the defensive front seven should be a focus, as Green Bay’s run defense remains a weakness.
In terms of permitted rushing yards and yards per carry, the Packers were placed 28th and 23rd, respectively, at the end of the regular season.
Players like linebacker Patrick Queen and defensive tackle DaQuan Jones would be prime free-agent targets if the Packers were to step up their game. But it’s much more likely that linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. and defensive tackle Dorance Armstrong will be available as inexpensive free agents.
Jeremy Chinn and Jordan Whitehead are two safeties who Green Bay may want to consider, depending on what transpires with Savage and Owens. Green Bay might also look to tackle help now that Bakhtiari is probably gone.
The Baltimore Ravens declined to pick Patrick Queen, a first-round selection in 2020, out of his fifth-year option. Considering that Queen finished with 133 total tackles and was named to the second team of the All-Pro squad, that choice doesn’t seem so wise now. The Ravens are sure to outbid Queen because they already paid Roquan Smith during the previous offseason.
The estimated contract value for the former LSU linebacker is $18.5 million per year. Despite this, the Packers might be prepared to spend big on run defense, which was perhaps their biggest shortcoming this year.
Quay Walker and Patrick Queen together would become one of the NFL’s greatest ILB tandems right away and have a big influence on the Packers’ run defense over night.
