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The personnel turnover on the Green Bay Packers’ defense has been a topic of significant discussion all offseason. Additions through free agency and the 2019 NFL Draft present coordinator Mike Pettine with myriad options, adding versatility and youthful experience to a group that was either too old or too green a year ago.
When the Packers take the field tonight against the Chicago Bears, the faces on defense will look different. But just how different will the lineup actually be?
As it turns out, very much so.
The Packers project to have seven different starters on defense Thursday night compared to the week 15 game a year ago and no fewer than seven different players in the lineup compared to week one of last season (depending on who takes the field at one uncertain position). Let’s take a look at the starting lineups in those three games, with tonight’s lineup being projected.
Packers Starting Defenses
| Position | 2018 Week 1 | 2018 Week 15 | 2019 Week 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Position | 2018 Week 1 | 2018 Week 15 | 2019 Week 1 |
| DL | Muhammad Wilkerson | Dean Lowry | Dean Lowry |
| DL | Kenny Clark | Tyler Lancaster | Kenny Clark |
| OLB | Clay Matthews | Clay Matthews | Za'Darius Smith |
| OLB | Nick Perry | Kyler Fackrell | Preston Smith |
| ILB | Blake Martinez | Blake Martinez | Blake Martinez |
| ILB/S | Jermaine Whitehead | Eddie Pleasant | Raven Greene |
| CB | Kevin King | Jaire Alexander | Jaire Alexander |
| CB | Josh Jackson | Josh Jackson | Kevin King OR Tony Brown |
| CB | Tramon Williams | Bashaud Breeland | Tramon Williams |
| S | Kentrell Brice | Josh Jones | Adrian Amos |
| S | Ha Ha Clinton-Dix | Tramon Williams | Darnell Savage |
The only question is whether Kevin King or Tony Brown gets the start at corner, but what is notable is that the Packers seem likely to line up in a dime front for much of tonight’s game similar to how they defended the Bears a year ago. As with the two games in 2018, Pettine looks poised to utilize a safety as a hybrid linebacker, though this is largely out of necessity this week due to Oren Burks’ injury.
Still, one look at these lineups shows just how fluid the Packers’ defense was in 2018. Two week-one starters were either cut or traded by midseason (Clinton-Dix and Whitehead). Others suffered injuries and were unavailable by week 15 (Wilkerson, Clark, Perry). And then there are players who simply were passed over on the depth chart by recent additions (Kyler Fackrell).
In fact. only two players will end up being starters in all three games: linebacker Blake Martinez and defensive back Tramon Williams. And Williams even played a different position in week 15 than he did (or will) in either week one game!
It’s time to get used to a lot of new faces in green and gold when opponents have the football. Hopefully that will lead to positive results.