Can Green Bay’s New-Look Defense Effectively Pressure Jared Goff?

The Green Bay Packers’ defense finished 27th in pass-rush win rate last season. The unit totaled 45 sacks, but 20 came in just three games. Rashan Gary led the team with 49 pressures (regular season and playoffs), ranking only 34th among qualified edge rushers.

The Packers brought in DeMarcus Covington to coach the defensive line and added Barryn Sorrell, Collin Oliver, and Warren Brinson through the draft. The trade for Micah Parsons should change the dynamics of their defense, giving the pass rush the elite playmaker it lacked and injecting much-needed juice up front.

Green Bay’s new-look front will be tested immediately by the Detroit Lions’ high-powered offense in Week 1. Getting steady pressure on any quarterback is always key to a winning defensive game plan. However, when it comes to Jared Goff, keeping him uncomfortable in the pocket is absolutely vital.

Goff is among the quarterbacks with the biggest gap in production depending on whether he’s pressured. When he was under pressure last season, he posted a 3.5% turnover-worthy play rate, a 79.4 passer rating, and a 54.8 passing grade. When the O-line kept the pocket clean, his 2.5% turnover-worthy play rate ranked fourth-best among 30 quarterbacks with at least 100 dropbacks.

According to ESPN Research, Goff ranks second in the NFL in QBR when he has a clean pocket, but he ranks 23rd when he’s under pressure. He had the second-largest QBR decline in the league in 2024 when pressured compared with a clean pocket, ahead of only Daniel Jones.

It will be crucial for the Packers to generate pressure with a four-man rush. Last year, among quarterbacks with at least 50 dropbacks against the blitz, Goff ranked in the top five in passing touchdowns, yards per attempt, first downs, and passer rating.

Complicating matters, Nate Hobbs didn’t practice on Wednesday, and it’s unclear if he’ll suit up on Sunday. Green Bay’s depth at cornerback beyond him doesn’t inspire much confidence, and it could prove risky to leave Carrington Valentine, Keisean Nixon, and others isolated in man coverage against playmakers like Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Sam LaPorta.

In both matchups against Green Bay last year, Goff threw three touchdowns and had zero turnover-worthy plays. The Packers were not as thin at cornerback then as they are entering Week 1, so they will need a reliable plan. Hafley needs to have a few blitzes up his sleeve. Otherwise, his defense will get too predictable.

Last year, the Packers pressured Goff on less than 30.5% of his dropbacks in both matchups. In Week 9, Alim McNeill alone recorded seven pressures, while the Packers as a team managed just seven total pressures on Goff that game. Even when pressured, he remained mistake-free, throwing two touchdowns over the two games with a 0% turnover-worthy play rate.

The Lions have made changes to their offensive staff and personnel. Not only is Ben Johnson gone, but they’ll also feature three new starters on the interior: a new center, a rookie right guard, and a sixth-round pick at left guard. That trio doesn’t exactly have much chemistry yet, allowing Hafley to dial up exotic pressure looks and overwhelm them.

One issue Brian Gutekunst highlighted during his season-ending press conference last year was Green Bay’s inability to generate consistent pressure with just four rushers. On Sunday, the Packers have a chance to show their pass rush has fully revived, with a successful game plan likely hinging on making Jared Goff uncomfortable without needing to send extra rushers.