Cheese Curds, 5/3: How will Packers’ defense fare after infusion of talent from the Draft?

The Green Bay Packers had one of the worst pass defenses in the entire NFL last season by conventional metrics, finishing 31st in passing yards allowed. They did finish in the top five in the league in interceptions with 17, but they also were in the bottom five in passing touchdowns allowed at 32.

While the advanced metrics paint a slightly less-ugly picture (the unit finished 22nd in pass DVOA, per Football Outsiders), it’s still an area that needed improvement for 2017.

Enter the class of defensive players chosen in last weekend’s NFL Draft, a quartet of individuals whose skills focus on getting to the quarterback and covering receivers. How much will those additions help boost the dismal numbers from last season? We’ll have to wait until September to start finding out, but for now there are multiple competing theories about just how impactful they will be as rookies.

Meanwhile, that same defense had a couple of players honored by the league in its annual ranking of the best individuals across the NFL - and one continues to be underrated in our eyes.

Clay Matthews ranked No. 82, Mike Daniels No. 84 in NFL Network's 'Top 100’ | Packers.com
Despite the team’s struggles, they still land a couple of players in the 80s and might have another one or two players show up in the top 100 in Nick Perry and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. Matthews moved down from the 50s, while Daniels is up from the 90s last season. If you ask me, they definitely got the order on these two wrong, though. Should Matthews really be on the list at all based on his 2016 play?

Draft is a start for defense, not a cure-all | Packersnews.com
This is an awfully pessimistic look at the additions the Packers have made to the defense. Yes, it will take some time to develop the players taken with the first four picks. Yes, there were some departures. But don’t forget that the Packers’ injuries — even if the total number stays the same — should be less-concentrated in the secondary, which should help significantly.

How athletic new Packers DBs can provide massive upgrade to defense | Packers Wire
See, this is more like it! Let’s look at how the additions of Kevin King and Josh Jones give Dom Capers more flexibility in alignments and formations.

Jamaal Williams' honor code violation not a problem for Packers - ESPN
Williams was up front and honest about the reasons for his suspension from BYU, and he actually was praised by NFL teams "for sticking it out...because I could have went somewhere else."

Opportunity led Miami punter Justin Vogel to pick Packers | Packers Wire
Vogel sees a chance to make the Packers' roster, since Jacob Schum is not a long-established player with the team. That's the case for many of these UDFAs, as they will sign with teams who provide the best chance at making a week one roster.

Adrian Peterson on Saints' O: What will opposition do? - NFL.com
As our Paul Noonan said on Twitter yesterday, defenses will probably drop more players into coverage. At this point, I would be more worried about seeing Mark Ingram in the backfield than Peterson.

Jamaal Charles signs with Broncos after 9 years with the Chiefs - SBNation.com
After drafting three tailbacks, any realistic chance of the Packers signing Charles vanished, but it is officially an impossibility now.

Finally, if you were interested in Eddie Lacy’s garage sale a few weeks back that got cancelled due to his travel issues, it’s back on for this weekend: