The Green Bay Packers are playing fast, both figuratively and literally, on defense to start the 2025 season.
An emphasis on elite athletes in Green Bay’s scouting and roster building philosophy has been ever present since the days of Ron Wolf, and has been passed down over the years all the way to current general manager Brian Gutekunst.
At times the intense focus of physical traits has drawn criticism, but the tangible speed the Packers’ defense is playing with right now is justification for their process.
Here are the 13 players who have played at least 50 snaps on defense for Green Bay through two weeks, along with their percentile speed ranking at their position, based on 40 yard dash times:
- Micah Parsons – 100th percentile
- Devonte Wyatt – 99th percentile
- Rashan Gary – 98th percentile
- Colby Wooden – 98th percentile
- Edgerrin Cooper – 97th percentile
- Lukas Van Ness – 97th percentile
- Quay Walker – 96th percentile
- Javon Bullard – 88th percentile
- Keisean Nixon – 88th percentile
- Carrington Valentine – 85th percentile
- Karl Brooks – 67th percentile
- Xavier McKinney – 55th percentile
- Evan Williams – 53rd percentile
On average, those players rank in the 86th percentile, and the Packers’ speed on defense is very evident on tape through two weeks.
Part of the ability to play fast comes from having a firm understanding of the defense, and credit should go to coordinator Jeff Hafley for having his unit so confident in their roles and flying around.
They are also playing with great effort, swarming to the football. It is a common occurrence to see a crowd of Packers right by the ball at the end of a play.
Green Bay’s fiery pass rush early in the season is partially a result of the speed they can attack defenses with. Between Parsons, Gary, Van Ness, Cooper and Walker, the Packers have no shortage of defenders who can close to the quarterback in a hurry.
Speed is also a requirement for the Packers to run the type of defense Hafley wants to deploy, which features a lot of zone coverage, looking to keep everything in front and then closing to the ball underneath.
It is all well and good getting pressure on the quarterback and forcing him to get rid of the ball in a hurry, as Green Bay has done very effectively so far, but the second requirement is to be able to quickly get to ball carriers in space and prevent checkdowns becoming chunk plays.
Against a mobile quarterback like Jayden Daniels, who can hurt defenses with his running ability, getting pressure is only half the battle, as he can escape the pocket and do damage by scrambling.
The Packers have done a terrific job of limiting gains from short receptions early in the year, and kept Daniels’ rushing ability in check. Washington’s quarterback did not run for a single first down in Week 2.
They will not always be right, and it can be frustrating on draft day when Green Bay takes a toolsy project over a more refined football player, but their process is mostly the correct one.
Speed is an absolute necessity in the NFL, and the Packers have it in droves. Particularly on the defensive side of the ball, that explosive athleticism at all three levels of the defense is showing up in a big way.
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