The Green Bay Packers will be on the couch for the fourth straight NFC title game, but that doesn’t mean their fans don’t have a reason to watch the Philadelphia Eagles host the Commanders at Lincoln Financial field on Sunday.
After a lackluster first round exit, the Packers have work to do, with holes to fill and several key players electing free agency. In both conference championships, on either side of the ball, potential Packers will take the field. Let’s start with the Eagles’ defense.
Green Bay Packers Should Monitor Philadelphia Eagles Defenders in Free Agency
Linebacker
Of Green Bay’s 2025 free agents, two of the most significant are linebackers Isaiah McDuffie and Eric Wilson. The pair combined for 169 tackles last season, including 10 TFL. Philadelphia’s linebacker corps contains one important pending FA, owner of the #2 PFF grade at his position: Zach Baun.
For the Eagles this season, the ex-Wisconsin Badger accumulated a team-high 151 total tackles, 11 TFL, and five forced fumbles. A weak spot for many linebackers, Baun specializes in pass coverage (1st/189 LBs) while maintaining strong pass rush and run grades (48th, 49th).
He earned a 90.2 overall PFF score and the 61st rank among PFF.com’s top 100 list of 2025 free agents. Against Green Bay in the Wild Card Round, he intercepted Jordan Love and recorded eight tackles.
Edge Rusher
Philadelphia’s defensive unit also boasts the 2nd-ranked available edge rusher, behind only the Chargers’ Khalil Mack. That man is Josh Sweat, whose 8 sacks led the team. He has upside beyond that, too, sacking a career-best 11 passers in 2022.
Green Bay does a decent job getting to the quarterback, finishing 10th in team sacks last season, but they could use another dominant pass rusher alongside Rashan Gary.
The Packers have pieces. Rookie LB Edgerrin Cooper is an absolute beast and should only be better next year. Supplementing the roster via free agency would allow them to ramp up the pressure and improve their 17.3% blitz rate, 2nd-last in the league. Sweat is the 10th-ranked free agent on the market.
Defensive Interior
Another Philly free agent who could help the Packers’ pass rush is defensive tackle Milton Williams; Green Bay is indeed projected among his potential landing spots.
Although run defense is a weak spot (Williams ranks just 167th out of 219 interior defenders), he boasts the 2nd-highest pass rush score at his position. With Packers DT TJ Slaton also leaving, Williams would not only supply a replacement but a massive upgrade. Slaton ranks only ten spots higher in run defense and his overall grade is 177th versus Williams’ 31st.
32nd among PFF-ranked FAs, he is top two in his category behind Cowboys tackle Osa Odighizuwa.
All Are Good Options for Green Bay
Both Sweat and Williams have been linked the Packers. And while Cooper and Quay Walker are strong headliners for the team’s current group of linebackers, if they want a voracious middle-of-the-field defender to replace McDuffie or Wilson, it would hard to do much better than Baun.
Both defensive linemen should be active on Sunday as they attempt to disrupt Commanders rookie QB Jayden Daniels. Baun, meanwhile, should have his name called quite a few times bringing down both running backs and receivers in the open field. Sitting home is never fun, but at least those three provide Packers fans something to pay attention to.
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