The Green Bay Packers addressed their need at edge rusher early in the 2023 NFL Draft. They used the 13th overall pick, which they received in a pick swap that was part of the Aaron Rodgers trade, to take edge rusher Lukas Van Ness out of Iowa. However, the lack of depth at the edge rusher position was not going to be solved with the drafting of just one player. With Rashan Gary possibly missing the first part of the season as he recovers from a torn ACL, Green Bay was facing the possibility of only having Preston Smith, Kingsley Enagbare, and Justin Hollins as their key pass rushers.
In short, the team needs depth and while Van Ness is a great addition, he does not solve the problem of having too few pass rushers. They need more. That is why Green Bay is taking a chance on Brenton Cox, an undrafted free agent with a very concerning past. However, if he stays out of trouble, he could end up being a great addition.
Green Bay Packers Edge Rusher Brenton Cox Was Kick Off of 2 SEC Teams
According to Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report, “A lack of talent didn’t see former Florida pass-rusher Brenton Cox Jr. go undrafted. Off-the-field concerns likely did. Cox was dismissed from Georgia back in 2020 and was dismissed from Florida’s program in October.” While Florida Coach Billy Napier would not say what Cox’s cumulative actions were that led to his dismissal, the final straw was when he punched Georgia running back Kenny McIntosh in the Gators 42-20 loss to the Bulldogs on October 29.
Prior to playing for Florida, Cox was a five-star commit to Georgia where he played for two seasons. However, he was kicked out of the program the summer before his sophomore season. According to The Spun, his dismissal came after he was arrested and charged with misdemeanor marijuana offenses.
It was these character concerns that led Cox to go undrafted. Had these incidents not occurred, he certainly would have been taken by some team in the NFL Draft. Can the small market Green Bay Packers be a place where he can avoid any more trouble? If so, he could end up being an absolute steal.
Knox continued to write of Cox:
“Cox is a powerfully-built 6’4”, 250-pound edge defender who was the 120th-ranked prospect on the B/R board. He’s a solid fit to be a dedicated pass-rusher in Green Bay’s 3-4 base defense. The Packers have tended to prefer bigger edge-rushers, like the 6’5″, 265-pound Preston Smith.
“In 33 games with the Gators, Cox logged 32.5 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks. He’ll have to prove that he can be a model team player in Green Bay, but the physical skills are there for Cox to be a nice developmental project.
“The Packers could look to stash Cox for a future role, as outside linebackers Rashan Gary, Justin Hollins and Jonathan Garvis are all scheduled to be unrestricted free agents next offseason.”
Hopefully Gary does not hit free agency next season and gets a long-term extension instead. But the sentiment remains: Green Bay needs to be ready for players leaving. Having Cox developing his game behind Gary, Smith, and the rest would be very beneficial to the team. And if he stays out of trouble, he could end up being a massive force in the Packers pass rush for years to come.
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