3 ways Packers can solve their pass rushing problems next season

Pressuring the opposing quarterback is crucial for any team that wants to be a legitimate Super Bowl contender in the modern NFL. The inability to win one-on-one battles up front is preventing the Packers from ascending to that rarefied status this season. Green Bay fans can expect the front office to focus on improving their pass-rushing options in the offseason.

It's not as if GM Brian Gutekunst hasn't attempted to address the team's biggest defensive weakness in previous offseasons. The team spent a first-round pick on Lukas Van Ness as a pure edge-rusher in 2023. He's shown flashes of competence but has not had the impact the organization envisioned when they acquired him.

One year earlier Green Bay selected defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt in Round 1 to try to generate more push on the interior. He has three sacks on the year but has been a below-average starter on the whole. His PFF average of 59.4 on the season is now what defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley and his staff are looking for out of a consistent starter.

Those draft misses mean the Packers will have to use significant resources in the offseason to find more edge rushing help. Green Bay fans should keep a close eye on the three following ways that their favorite team might use to fix their defensive deficiency.

Packers move No. 1: Sign Azeez Ojulari

The Giants wanted to trade Azeez Ojulari ahead of this year's trade deadline but an unfortunate toe injury put the edge rusher on the sideline and off the trade market. Now it appears that the former first-round pick will be leaving New York via free agency in the offseason.

The Packers should move swiftly to snap the former Georgia star up. He would give Haffley and his staff a different type of edge rusher thant they currently have on the roster. He lacks the size to set the edge against the run but he possesses exceptional speed from the outside.

Ojulari might be best cast as a situational edge-rusher moving forward but the Packers can glean a lot of value and production from that sort of player. The organization has tried really hard to draft two-way defensive ends but it might be time to take a different tact. Signing a speed rusher like Ojulari would give Green Bay a lot of pass rushing juice on obvious passing downs. That's something the defense lacks currently and desperately needs.

Packers move No. 2: Draft Mike Green

Just because the Packers have failed to address their pass rushing need via the draft in previous years doesn't mean it's not the right strategy. This year Green Bay should strongly consider Marshall standout Mike Green with their late first round pick.

Similar to Ojulari, Smith profiles as a good pass-rusher who might struggle to set the edge against the run. The Packers have plenty of defensive ends who possess the power to stop the run. By adding Green they could finally have a rush end who can torture opposing quarterbacks on obvious passing downs.

Green has the sort of burst and bend from the outside that defensive coordinators covet. He also already possesses a variety of pass rushing moves that can help him keep opposing NFL tackles off balance. The diversity of his move set will help ease his transition to the NFL.

Green may never blossom into a double-digit sack artist but he can succeed against one-on-one matchups at the next level. He isn't the total solution for Green Bay's pass-rushing problems but he can be a meaningful piece of Gutekunst's plan.

Packers move No. 3: Sign Zach Baun to a big deal

The previous two moves on this list would be relatively inexpensive for the Packers. If they want to really go big to improve their defense they should look to ink Zach Baun to a big contract in free agency.

Baun is not a classic pass-rusher on the edge but deploying him on the second level would allow the Packers' defense to blitz opponents more often in 2025. It's not an exaggeration to say he's been one of the best linebackers in football this season. His PFF average of 90 on the year illustrates just how good he's been.

A big secret to his success is just how often he's been able to win in coverage for the Eagles defense. His ability to effectively cover tight ends and running backs changes the math for Philadelphia's defense. The Packers would love to have a linebacker they could trust to hold up in one-on-one matchups in pass coverage. Signing Baun would be expensive for Green Bay but this offseason could be the time for them to go all-in via free agency.

What will the Packers actually do?

The Packers don't make a habit of spending big in free agency which likely rules them out of the race to sign Baun. Expect them to use a draft pick and a modest free agency signing to fortify their edge-rushing group.

Green Bay will hope that Ojulari's market doesn't heat up to get outside their price range. He has upside and several teams should be interested in his services. The Packers have the capability to land him if they feel like he's the best option on the open market.

The Packers could opt to wait until Day Two or Day Three in the draft to add a different sort of edge-rusher. Green would represent good value at the end of the first-round but it's entirely possible that Green Bay might prefer another speed-rusher who might be available later in the draft.

The Packers are going to add multiple edge-rushers in the offseason and one in the draft and one in free agency makes the most sense. It's imperative that Gutekunst and his staff find a difference-maker this offseason.