The Green Bay Packers are going to look a lot different in 2023. In many ways, this off-season has been franchise-altering, as far as the team that will take the field come September. Jordan Love is set to get his shot at quarterback. The Green Bay Packers brought in a slew of defensive and offensive talent in the 2023 NFL Draft. However, the Packers may not be done yet as they are expected to pursue a Super Bowl Champion free agent.
The Green Bay Packers Are Expected To Pursue Outside Linebacker Leonard Floyd
The Green Bay Packers have a promising defensive line. Preston Smith has been as consistent as they come during his time with the Green Bay Packers. His play earned him a nice contract extension with the Green Bay Packers. Rashan Gary has proven himself to be one of the best pass rushers in all of football. His return from a torn ACL, however, makes his availability for the 2023 season limited. There is optimism though that he will be able to play at least half the season.
To add to that pass rush, the Green Bay Packers chose to draft Lukas Van Ness in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. However, Leonard Floyd could add another layer to that defensive line. According to Max Dible:
The mid-season injury to Rashan Gary played a role in Green Bay’s inability to reach opposing quarterbacks, and his return along with the first-round addition of former University of Iowa defensive lineman Lukas Van Ness ought to help considerably in that regard. But the Packers won’t be able to rely on offense to carry them the way they often did during the Aaron Rodgers era, or at least they shouldn’t expect they will be able to until Jordan Love proves otherwise. As such, improving the defense is paramount, which puts free agent pass rushers at a premium in Green Bay.
Edge rushers aren’t typically all that available given how highly the position is valued around the league. But as the NFL Draft gives way to the month of May, a handful of quality names remain available on the free agent market, and the Packers would do well to consider a couple of them. At the top of that list is former Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams edge defender Leonard Floyd.
Floyd’s natural position is outside linebacker, which makes him especially compatible with the Packers’ 3-4 base defensive scheme. Green Bay’s two top pass rushers are Gary and Preston Smith, both of whom do their jobs from an OLB spot on the field.
It will be interesting to see what type of contract Floyd would demand in the open market. He has recorded 18.5 sacks over the last two seasons, showing that he is still a consistent defender in the NFL.
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