Packers DC Jeff Hafley finds creative solution to generate more pressure from the edge
The Green Bay Packers have failed to generate pass rush this season with their edge defenders. There are 52 NFL players, 35 of which are edges, who have had at least 20 pressures through eight weeks in 2024, none of whom play for the Packers. Total pressures in 2024: Rashan Gary – 18Kingsley Enagbare 10Preston […]
The Green Bay Packers have failed to generate pass rush this season with their edge defenders. There are 52 NFL players, 35 of which are edges, who have had at least 20 pressures through eight weeks in 2024, none of whom play for the Packers.
Total pressures in 2024:
- Rashan Gary – 18
- Kingsley Enagbare 10
- Preston Smith – 10
- Lukas Van Ness – 5
While a trade for an edge rusher might not be absurd though, and we suggested Chase Young and Jadeveon Clowney as options earlier this week, defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has found another way to create more havoc from the boundaries.
He's moving defensive tackle Karl Brooks around, which includes playing him at edge for some snaps a game.
The Packers see Brooks as an interior defensive lineman, but he has a long track record of being an edge in college. At Bowling Green, Brooks was mostly a defensive end. Over his last two college seasons, he played 1,115 snaps combining outside and over the tackle, versus only 101 snaps as an interior defensive lineman. All these stats come from PFF.
This season with the Packers, he played 80 total snaps combining out and over the tackle, 128 in the B-gap, and seven in the A-gap. Against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Brooks moved to the edge on a third and eight, for example. In this case, Rashan Gary moved inside to create an exotic look.
While this is a very particular situation, there is a scenario where Karl Brooks can become a real part-time edge rusher. Even playing only 34% of the defensive snaps in the first eight weeks of the season, Brooks is third on the Packers in total pressures (12), only behind Gary and Kenny Clark. That means he's ahead of Preston Smith, Van Ness, and Enagbare.
Before the season, Brooks told SI.com's Joey Van Zummeren about how he fits well into Hafley's defensive scheme.
"I'm growing, reacting and loving, especially this new defense, kind of gives me this opportunity to show my skill case and what I could do, playing inside and outside, going rushing," Brooks said. "I just feel like this defense suits a lot of players on our team, just with athleticism first of all, you can play fast and it’s easy to run. So, I love it."
If there's one thing that the Packers defense hasn't been able to do under Jeff Hafley is to consistently pressure without the need to send blitz, and that hinders the potential for everything else. But Karl Brooks can be a solid option to improve the area, and we have already seen some glimpses of it.
There are only two edge rushers who make sense for the Packers ahead of the trade deadline
Green Bay could get better acquiring Chase Young or Jadeveon Clowney
