Green Bay Packers: 5 offseason needs

4. Add some depth at inside linebacker

The Green Bay Packers got a solid season from Blake Martinez in year two, but he is going to need some better backup if the team is to consider this a strength next season. Jake Ryan was expected to be an impact player when the team drafted him in the fourth round out of Michigan a few years back, though he has yet to become a cornerstone of the defense. He had a pretty decent 2017 season, racking up 79 total tackles, but the team needs more from him in year No. 4.

Green Bay has a new defensive coordinator in Mike Pettine, and he is someone with a proven track record at getting great production from the linebacker position. This defense took a bit of a step back in 2017, and it will be up to Pettine and his assistants to get this thing pointed in the right direction. A lot of the blame was placed on former defensive coordinator Dom Capers, who captained the ship on the defensive side of the ball since 2009, so Pettine has a clean slate to work with in 2018.

Focusing their attention at getting this group bolstered will be a priority this offseason, and they could look to the draft and find some gems in the middle rounds. Players like Iowa’s Josey Jewell and Texas’ Malik Jefferson are two names that could seriously upgrade this unit in 2018. To win the NFC North, you have to be strong up the middle on defense, which is why this is such a huge priority for the organization.