The Green Bay Packers have their work cut out for them this offseason when it comes to upgrading their roster. After winning 13 games in each of Matt LaFleur’s first three seasons at the helm, the Packers came crashing down to Earth in 2022, going 8-9 and missing the playoffs.
The 2022 offseason was a difficult one for Green Bay as they lost a lot of offensive talent. Wide receivers Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling were both on the move, leaving Aaron Rodgers without his top two weapons in the passing game.
That put a lot of pressure on the defense, which on paper looked good enough to carry the team. Alas, that ended up not being the case as the Packers’ defense was middle of the pack in 2022, ranking 17th in points and yardage allowed.
This offseason, the team needs to focus on addressing some of their holes on that side of the ball. Shoring things up against the run should be the No. 1 goal as Green Bay was steamrolled by opponents regularly.
Opponents gained 2,372 yards on the ground against the Packers this season, which ranked them 26th in the league. It will take some personnel changes to turn that around and one player who could fit the bill is safety Jabrill Peppers.
Peppers is an excellent athlete that has had some bad luck in his NFL career when it comes to injuries. He showed flashes earlier in his career with the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants of being a dynamic playmaker but tore his ACL in 2021 and came back as a part-time player for the New England Patriots in 2022.
Looking to shore things up in the secondary, the Packers could probably land Peppers on an affordable contract. Darnell Savage Jr. is the only safety currently under contract with Adrian Amos and Rudy Ford hitting free agency.
Peppers is a capable pass defender, but his best strength is playing in the box and sticking his nose into the run game. That is something Green Bay’s defense could certainly use more of, as Peppers’ strengths are weaknesses that they need to upgrade.
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