Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Green Bay Packers encouraged by PFF to sign 10-year veteran to bolster defensive line

Originally posted on WI Sports Heroics | By Robin M Adams | Last updated Feb 1, 2026 12:20 PM ET

The Green Bay Packers, in addition to having a new defensive coordinator in 2026, are going to have to bring in some reinforcements on the defensive line. While Devonte Wyatt was having a great season before he suffered a season-ending injury, his absence exposed the fact that the Packers did not have quality depth on the defensive line.

Indeed, the interior line positions will be among those most highly prioritized by the Packers during the off-season. And while they will undoubtedly do so in the NFL Draft, they should probably also look at adding some veteran leadership in the room.

And PFF has a specific player in mind.

Green Bay Packers encouraged to sign defensive tackle David Onyemata

Green Bay Packers encouraged by PFF to sign 10-year veteran to bolster defensive line 1 Dec 21, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Atlanta Falcons defensive lineman David Onyemata (90) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

While Green Bay had a solid defense overall in 2025, the fact of the matter is that they were not consistent in stopping the run or generating pressure on the quarterback. This was especially true after Micah Parsons went down with a torn ACL.

In order to ensure that they are better in both areas, PFF believes that the Packers should sign David Onyemata in free agency:

“Veteran defensive tackle David Onyemata has defended the run at a high level during his career and is coming off a season in which he ranked eighth among 130 interior defenders in PFF run-defense grade (74.2). This is the type of under-the-radar move that makes sense for a Packers team that won’t be on the clock until 52nd overall in the 2026 NFL Draft and won’t be looking to spend big in free agency.”

Currently, Spotrac has Onyemata’s market value as two years and $17 million, or $8.5 million a year. This is the kind of low-profile free agent signing that Green Bay could easily stomach after the high-profile failures of Aaron Banks and Nate Hobbs in 2025.

Onyemata is coming off a solid season with the Atlanta Falcons in which he played in and started all 17 games while recording a sack and registered a career-high 62 tackles.

A native of Nigeria, Onyemata has carved out a 10-year NFL career, having spent the first seven seasons of it with the New Orleans Saints, who took him in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

Perhaps most importantly to the oft-injured Packers, Onyemata has rarely missed time in his 10-year career. He has played in all 17 games in two consecutive seasons and in three of the last four.

This article first appeared on WI Sports Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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