Packers' former first-round pick planning to make 'monster leap'

The Packers felt the need to make a change at defensive coordinator this offseason, hiring former Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley.

Green Bay is hoping Hafley can help take its defense to another level this season after it was in the bottom half of the league in total yards allowed per game in 2023.

However, defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt, the Packers' first-round pick (No. 28) in the 2022 NFL Draft, believes he can do the same heading into his third season in the NFL.

"It's time for a monster leap," Wyatt said, via Jason Wilde of Madison.com. "Yes sir. A monster leap."

Wyatt had a bit of an underwhelming rookie year, registering just 15 tackles, 1.5 sacks and one forced fumble, but he saw an increase in playing time last season. As a result, he had better production with 36 tackles, 5.5 sacks and a fumble recovery.

The 26-year-old has seemingly gotten better each year and thinks that will continue in Hafley's new defense.

Wyatt said that Hafley's scheme will allow him to "focus on one thing and not a lot of things" and that focus is going to be "attack, attack, attack instead of reading and reacting" as it was under former defensive coordinator Joe Barry.

Although the Packers' defense did not perform to the level it hoped it would last season, the team was still able to make the playoffs and defeat the Dallas Cowboys 48-32 in the wild-card round.

Green Bay then fell to the San Francisco 49ers 24-21 the following week in the divisional round, but the team has a good chance build off what it did a season ago.

Wyatt could play a large role in helping the Packers do just that as he and several other younger players hope to take their games to another level in 2024.