One of the things that Green Bay Packers fans are so excited about as training camp gets underway is to see how improved the defense is going to be. Head coach Matt LaFleur made the long-awaited decision to fire embattled defensive Joe Barry at the end of the 2023 NFL season. To take his place, LaFleur chose Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley.
From the moment Green Bay’s offseason programs began, Hafley garnered rave reviews from players and media members alike. He is changing the Packers’ defensive scheme from a 3-4 to a 4-3, which will put the players that Green Bay already has in a better position to succeed.
Green Bay Packers Defensive Coordinator Jeff Hafley Has Everyone Excited About the Defense
Early in the offseason, Hafley was asked what his mantra was for the Packers defense. His response was, “Run and hit.”
As fans will soon see, Hafley employs a much more aggressive style of defense than what fans have grown accustomed to seeing in Green Bay. Over the last few seasons, the scheme that Barry and Mike Pettine employed was very much reactionary. Hafley, on the other hand, wants his front seven to attack the quarterback and the ball carrier.
Packers star defensive end Rashan Gary is one of the players that has been quoted singing the praises of his new defensive coordinator. At the end of mandatory minicamp, he said:
“You can tell the energy around the building from top to bottom is great, especially on defense. Kind of having a whole new coaching staff, a whole new life. We’re loving it on defense.
“Attack, attack, attack. Aggressive, and I’m loving it. I’m loving it. Really just pin your ears back, relax and play.”
That attitude has not changed through two days of training camp either. Today, he reaffirmed his love for the new scheme while also explaining why Barry’s defense was so disappointing.
Green Bay Packers Pass Rusher Rashan Gary Takes Veiled Shot at Joe Barry
After practice on Tuesday, Gary was asked why this year’s defense is so much more aggressive than those in previous seasons. He responded (via Matt Schneidman of The Athletic):
Every defense wants to be aggressive up front and get sacks and TFLs. Why does that mindset seem different for the Packers under Jeff Hafley?
Rashan Gary: “Hand in the dirt and not dropping back. It’s that simple.”
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) July 23, 2024
Over the previous three seasons, Barry was often criticized for having pass rushers like Gary and Preston Smith drop back into coverage. And they were not always covering tight ends or other slower pass catchers. At one point against the Las Vegas Raiders last season, Smith was lined up against Davante Adams in coverage.
It did not go well for Smith and the Packers.
That will not happen this year under Hafley, and the Packers defensive stars are loving their new scheme.
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