Earlier, the NFL released its All-Decade Team, which featured Aaron Rodgers as one of the two quarterbacks on the offensive team. OTH Wisconsin has followed suit, but our focus is just on the Green Bay Packers. In this piece, we will name our Packers All-Decade Team, focusing on the defensive side of the ball.
Defensive Line
B.J. Raji
B.J. Raji was the ninth overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. Raji played with the Packers from 2009-2013, and came back in 2015, after taking a year off. From 2010 to the end of his career, he started in all 78 games he appeared in. He finished with 126 tackles, 10 sacks, nine passed defensed, and one fumble recovery. Raji is famously known for his pick-6 in the NFC Championship game against the Chicago Bears. He was the starting nose tackle on the Super Bowl winning team.
Kenny Clark
Kenny Clark was the 27th pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. In 60 regular season games, Clark has 193 tackles, 16.5 sacks, 24 tackles for a loss, four forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, and seven passes defensed. KC was the youngest player in his draft class, and has become one of the NFL’s most dominant defensive lineman.
Honorable Mention: Mike Daniels
Outside Linebacker
Clay Matthews
Clay Matthews was drafted 26th overall in the 2009 NFL draft. Clay was drafted to be the outside pass-rusher that was needed for the newly instituted 3-4 defense. He finished the season with 10 sacks, seven passes defensed, and a forced fumble where he famously stripped the ball from Adrian Peterson and returned it for a touchdown.
After securing a Pro Bowl spot his rookie year, he set a standard that he mostly lived up to over the next decade. He finished the decade with a lot of awards and accomplishments.
- Super Bowl Champion (2010)
- Five more Pro Bowls (2010-2012, 2014, 2015)
- First Team All-Pro (2010)
- 2x Second Team All-Pro (2012, 2014)
- PFWA NFL Defensive Player Of The Year (2010)
- Butkus Award (2010)
He finished the decade with 81.5 sacks, 36 passes defensed, six interceptions (two returned for touchdowns), and 16 forced fumbles.
Julius Peppers
Julius Peppers signed a three-year deal with the Packers in 2014. Peppers had 25 sacks, 14 passes defensed, two interceptions (both returned for touchdowns), eight forced fumbles, and four fumble recoveries. He also added 4.5 sacks, eight quarterback hits, and two forced fumbles in the seven playoff games he played in. Although he was only with the team for three years, he helped the Packers reach two NFC title games, and provided critical veteran leadership.
Honorable Mention: Nick Perry
Inside Linebacker
A.J. Hawk
A.J. Hawk was a member of the Packers from 2006-2014. He only missed two games from 2010-2014, and was always a consistent force in the middle of the defense. Finishing with a total of 522 tackles, 10.5 sacks, 19 quarterback hits, 31 tackles for a loss, four interceptions, and 20 passes defensed. He was also a big part in the middle of the defense during their Super Bowl run in 2010.
Blake Martinez
Blake Martinez was drafted by the Packers in 2016. Although he is no longer with the team, he makes the All-Decade team, for what he did be from 2016-2019. Martinez finished with 512 tackles, 29 tackles for a loss, twelve quaterback hits, 10 sacks, three interceptions, and 17 passes defensed. He played all but three games, and was a consistent force for the Packers.
Honorable Mention: Brad Jones
Cornerback
Tramon Williams
Tramon Williams signed with the Packers in 2007 as an undrafted free agent. In this decade, he played with the Packers from 2010-2014, and 2018-2019. In those seven years, he finished with 92 passes defenses, 20 interceptions, four forced fumbles, and 3.5 sacks. He also went to one Pro Bowl and winter a championship with the team in 2010. Williams played in all but one game for the Packers in the time he was with them.
Sam Shields
Sam Shield was another undrafted free agent signed by Ted Thompson. Picked up in 2010, Shields played with the Packers until 2016 (one game in 2016). Shields accumulated 18 interceptions, 66 passes defensed, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and one sack. He is also a Pro Bowler (2014) and Super Bowl Champion (2010).
Honorable Mention: Charles Woodson (would have won but only played with Packers until 2012)
Safety
Morgan Burnett
Morgan Burnett was drafted by the Packers in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He started all 102 games that he played in for Green Bay from 2010-2017. Burnett finished his time with the Packers with 7.5 sacks, 43 passes defensed, nine interceptions and eight forced fumbles. He was also a part of the 2010 Super Bowl team.
Honorable Mention: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
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