The Green Bay Packers Need Defensive Linemen — And It’s A Good Year To Go Shopping

This is the sixth in a nine-part series previewing the NFL Draft and examining the Green Bay Packers’ needs at each position.

Today: Defensive line

Part 1: Quarterbacks

Part 2: Wide receivers

Part 3: Tight ends

Part 4: Running backs

Part 5: Offensive line

Kenny Clark is a 315-pound behemoth who’s paid handsomely to tackle ball carriers and sack quarterbacks for a living.

If Clark ever needs a side gig, though, it appears prognosticating could be right up his alley.

When the Green Bay Packers’ disappointing 2022 season came to an end, Clark — Green Bay’s massive nose tackle — was asked about the future of the defensive line.

“It’s going to be a lot of moving pieces,” Clark said.

Bingo.

Since the season ended three months ago, starting defensive ends Dean Lowry and Jarran Reed both left in free agency.

Lowry signed a two-year, $8.5 million contract with Minnesota, while Reed inked a two-year, $10.8 million deal with Seattle.

Even with Lowry and Reed, the Packers’ defensive line underperformed last year when Green Bay ranked 26^th in rushing defense (139.5) and 28^th in yards allowed per carry (5.0).

Now, with two-thirds of last year’s starters gone, Green Bay’s defensive front is rail thin and must be replenished in this draft.

“Losing J-Reed and Deano, those were two players that contributed a lot,” Packers coach Matt Fleur said. “I thought J-Reed had a hell of a year last year when you go back through the tape and watch it. Happy for him to get rewarded for that. “Certainly Dean has had, in our time together he’s done a lot of great things for us. Sad to see both of those guys go, excited for them though to have another opportunity. But yeah, it naturally opens up more playing time.”

It sure does.

Reed gobbled up 68.3% of the defensive snaps and played another 18.9% of special teams snaps. Reed ranked No. 2 on the defensive line with a career-high 52 tackles (29 solo), added 2.5 sacks and five tackles for a loss. In addition he had 14 quarterback hits (No. 2 on the team), a forced fumble and a team-high two fumble recoveries.

Lowry, a seven-year stalwart and one of the more underappreciated Packers of the past decade, had 43 tackles and blocked a field goal last season before missing the final two games with a calf injury. Lowry, a fourth round draft pick in 2016, finished his Packer career with 80 starts, 15.5 sacks, 38 quarterback hits, 288 tackles, four fumble recoveries and a forced fumble.

“He’s Steady Eddie,” Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said of Lowry back in 2021. “He’s consistently improved from the time we got him. You just see how he’s really worked himself into being a really good NFL football player, and he’s been very reliable and dependable.”

Now, it’s up to Gutekunst to find more players like that.

Devonte Wyatt, Green Bay’s second first round draft pick last year, will take on an increased role after a quiet rookie season.

Wyatt was almost invisible the first 15 weeks of the season. Then in the final three games, he played 24, 34 and 32 snaps.

After 13 games, Wyatt had three pressures, no sacks and no quarterback hits. Then in the last four games, Wyatt had five pressures, 1.5 sacks and three quarterback hits.

Wyatt, who began his career at Hutchinson Community College before transferring to Georgia in 2018, was a late bloomer in college. After sitting for two seasons with the Bulldogs, Wyatt moved into the starting lineup as a junior, had a breakout senior season then ran the 40-yard dash in a blazing 4.77 seconds at the NFL Combine.

The Packers will need Wyatt to improve by leaps and bounds much like he did during his time at Georgia.

“He’s going to have to make that progression,” LaFleur said. “Most players make their biggest jump from Year 1 to Year 2, so that’s the expectation for him. I know he’s working hard right now, and we’re going to have to get a lot out of him next year.”

The Packers might have to get a lot of out Slaton, too.

The gigantic nose tackle (6-4, 330) started two games last year, played in 17, and finished with 31 tackles and two tackles for loss. Slaton didn’t have a sack or a quarterback hit, but he did deflect two passes — including one that was intercepted in a Week 17 win over Minnesota.

With Slaton on the field on early downs, Clark can bounce out to defensive end, which gives the Packers’ run defense a boost. After Lowry’s injury last season, Slaton played 41.4% and 51.6% of the defensive snaps, which were both career highs.

“When Dean got hurt, T.J. stepping into the nose role,” Clark said. “He did a tremendous job, just standing in there, plugging things up, making plays.”

Green Bay doesn’t have much behind the trio of Clark, Wyatt and Slaton.

Chris Slayton, a 26-year-old who was taken in the seventh round of the 2019 draft by the New York Giants, has never taken an NFL snap. And massive Jonathan Ford (6-5, 338), a seventh round pick by Green Bay in 2022, was inactive all 17 games last season.

Clearly, defensive end is a position the Packers could attack with their first round draft pick, which is No. 15 overall.

Alabama defensive end Will Anderson is the highest rated defender on most boards and will almost certainly be gone in the first five picks. Texas Tech defensive end Tyree Wilson also could be gone in the top-10 picks.

But two defensive ends — Iowa’s Lukas Van Ness and Clemson’s Myles Murphy could make perfect sense for Green Bay at No. 15.

Van Ness (6-5, 272) is a power player with extremely long arms (34 inches) who’s stout against the run and capable of pushing the pocket.

“I interviewed with them already. It was great,” Van Ness said of the Packers. “I’ve spent some time, obviously being right there near Wisconsin. I was a Bears fan growing up, but we’d go back and forth about a bunch of guys who are from Wisconsin, the cheese heads, right? But it’d be great to play in Lambeau. I think they have a great established program there. And our interview was great.”

Murphy (6-5, 268) had a highly productive three-year career at Clemson in which he notched 17.5 sacks and 37 tackles for loss. Murphy has ideal length, a motor that rarely slows down and impressive quickness for a man his size.

“I’m just enjoying this entire process. I know there are a lot of unknowns of where I’m going to go, when I’m going to go,” Murphy said. “I’m just worrying about what I can control. I can’t control what a GM thinks of me. I can’t control what other teams think of me. All I can do is put my best foot forward.”

It’s imperative Gutekunst puts his best foot forward, as well.

Green Bay has a bevy of needs, including wide receiver, tight end, outside linebacker and safety. And it wouldn’t be a surprise if Gutekunst goes after one of those positions in Round 1.

But he can’t ignore the defensive line for long, even though the draft is deep with edge defenders and interior linemen.

The Packers desperately need two defensive linemen that can contribute immediately. And it’s imperative Gutekunst finds them in this draft.