The Green Bay Packers prioritized improving the secondary last offseason, particularly by spending big on free agent safety Xavier McKinney, and were rewarded with an All-Pro caliber season from the former second-round draft choice.
This spring, general manager Brian Gutekunst and the Packers could invest significant resources along the front seven to not only boost the overall defense, but make life even more easier for McKinney and the secondary to make plays on the back-end.
Packers Could Be Targeting Difference-Making Pass Rusher
That’s exactly the direction that NFL Draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah expects Green Bay to take, projecting the Packers add Texas A&M pass rusher Shemar Stewart with the No. 23 overall pick in April’s upcoming draft.
“The Packers love front-seven players from the SEC with outstanding traits. Stewart fits the mold,” Jeremiah Writes for NFL Media.
Elite traits would be an understatement.
This past season, at 6-foot-6 and 290 pounds, Stewart logged 1.5 sacks, forced a fumble, and posted 31 total tackles.
While his production may have been lacking, getting Stewart into a system such as Hafley’s could elevate his impact.
“Stewart is carved from granite,” NFL analyst Lance Zierlein writes. “Possessing a rare blend of traits, explosiveness and untapped upside. He’s long and sudden off the snap but hasn’t learned to weaponize his hands to control the point of attack and bypass protection with go-to moves. His bull-rush compresses the pocket off the edge, and he’s too athletic for guards when reduced inside. He can be very disruptive in both phases but requires additional training to start converting his opportunities into finishes.”
