The Green Bay Packers 2020 draft was heavy on offensive players, and they even traded up for a quarterback in the first round. Many were surprised to see that head coach Matt LaFleur and general manager Brian Gutekunst didn’t draft a wide receiver. Even though the receiving corps struggled in 2019, LaFleur still maintains that he believes in the guys they have. Hopefully, the young players, such as Equanimeous St. Brown, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Allen Lazard, Jake Kumerow, and others, can rise up as dependable second options when Davante Adams isn’t available.
While most of the Packers draft focused on the offense, they did pick three new defensive players. They drafted Kamal Martin, a linebacker from Minnesota, in the fifth round. In the seventh round, they picked Vernon Scott, a safety from Texas Christian, and Jonathan Garvin, a linebacker from Miami.
Green Bay Packers Defensive Draft Overview
If fans were hoping for Green Bay to address the defense more aggressively, they might be disappointed by the draft. However, it’s important to remember the huge splash Gutekunst made in the 2019 free agency by signing Za’Darius Smith, Preston Smith, and Adrian Amos. Of course, this year was less exciting. They let Blake Martinez walk and replaced him with Christian Kirksey. After Gutekunst’s impressive signings last off-season, the defense was much improved. They had some kinks to work out. There weren’t perfect, but they were definitely improved from 2018.
Overhauling and reshaping the defense from the Dom Capers’ years is going to take time. It can’t happen overnight or after one free agency or draft. No one instance is going to do the trick. Building a solid, dependable defense in Green Bay is going to take effort from everyone.
Kamal Martin
The addition of Martin could help fill the void left by Blake Martinez and B.J. Goodson. While Martin could spend more time on special teams, he might find himself assisting Mike Pettine‘s defense. The young linebacker shows promise to be a big help with “run-heavy teams“, against which the Packers have traditionally struggled.
In his four seasons with Minnesota, Martin had 177 tackles (solo and combined) for 13 total yards lost. He also acquired 3.5 sacks and 4 interceptions.
Vernon Scott
During Scott’s three years at Texas Christian, Scott made 88 tackles, defended 12 passes, snagged two interactions, and forced two fumbles. The addition of the safety from TCU gives the Packers more depth on defense. While their pass rush improved in 2019, it ranked 14th in the NFL. The Smith brothers cannot handle the pass defense on their own. Scott has the potential to be the missing piece.
Jonathan Garvin
Garvin made quite the splash during his three seasons in Miami. He racked up 106 tackles (solo and combined) for 29 total yards lost along with 12.5 sacks. Tom Dombeck of Packers News predicts that Garvin will compete with Rashan Gary for edge rusher playing time. Garvin can help take Kyler Fackrell‘s place. In Fackrell’s four seasons in Green Bay, he racked up 16 sacks, so he and Garvin fill a similar role.
Wrapping Up
In conclusion, the Packers had a passable draft from a defensive standpoint. While they could have easily made drafting defensive stars a focus, they did not. Gutekunst and LaFleur seem to trust the Smith brothers immensely, which is understandable. The Packers made huge additions in 2019, and they paid off. Last year, Green Bay’s defense ranked ninth in the league, allowing 5,642 yards on 998 plays with an average of 5.7 yards per play. In 2018, the Pack’s defense ranked an embarrassing 22nd overall, allowing a comparable 5,670 yards on 1,017 plays with an average of 5.6 yards per play. While the defense made positive changes after the 2019 free agency haul, there’s certainly still room to grow.
