Green Bay Packer

BREAKING: Packers Make Big Move to Improve Inconsistent Pass Rush

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GREEN BAY, Wis. – Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur has fired defensive line coach Jsaon Rebrovich, as first reported by ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky.

Rebrovich was the team’s outside linebackers coach for Joe Barry in 2022 and 2023. The Packers retained him following the transition to Jeff Hafley, with Rebrovich leading the entire defensive line.

A candidate quickly emerged.

LaFleur should have a good scouting report: Whitecotton was part of former Jets coach Robert Saleh’s first staff. Saleh spent part of the season with the Packers after he was fired at midseason.

Whitecotton’s defensive line produced 48 sacks in 2023 and 45 in 2022.

The Packers’ big-name, high-priced defensive line underperformed throughout the season in the passing game.

Defensive tackle Kenny Clark, defensive end Rashan Gary and defensive end Lukas Van Ness, three former first-round picks, all had underwhelming seasons.

“Sometimes that’s just the way the NFL season goes,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said when asked about those three on Thursday. “I think there was some transition to a new scheme, but I think we didn’t grow into that consistent front like we had hoped, but there were times that we showed it, so I know it’s capable.

“I think we’ve got the right guys. They’re workers in there, I think they’re all passionate about the game, they’re unselfish team guys so I expect us to get better there.”

Clark, who ranks 12th among interior defensive linemen with an average salary of $21.3 million following his latest contract extension, had only one sack this year after delivering a career-high 7.5 sacks in 2023.

Gary earned his first Pro Bowl honors this year and had a team-high 7.5 sacks, Van Ness had three sacks and Kingsley Enagbare, who saw a large uptick in playing time following the trade of Preston Smith, had 4.5 sacks.

That’s a combined 15 sacks from Green Bay’s top three ends. Cincinnati’s Trey Hendrickson had more by himself with 17.5.

Among edge defenders, Gary ranks eighth in the NFL in average salary at $24.0 million per season. A first-round pick in 2019 who’s still looking for his first 10-sack season, Gary had more sacks last year (9.0) while coming off a torn ACL.

“We could all sit here and you know wonder about the sacks and things like that,” Rebrovich said recently. “But we’ve sat up here before and said, ‘Hey, look, you have to account for Rashan Gary,’ whether it’s protection, whether you’re going to chip, thump, use somebody extra.

“I will say this, though: If you look statistically, his run rate of wins, he’s substantially better than what he’s ever been. Obviously, he’s done a Pro Bowl-level type of play. And we’re going to continue to build on that and strive to get better. Would he want statistically – would we want statistically – better numbers from a quarterback pressure or knockdown standpoint? I’m sure we all would.”

It wasn’t all bad.

Defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt, a first-round pick in 2022, did have a strong season with five sacks. He probably would have had much better production if not for an ankle injury.

The depth was solid at end and at tackle, with end Brenton Cox going from inactive to recording four sacks during the second half of the season.

Most importantly, the team was better was against the run. From 2019 through 2023, the first five years of LaFleur’s tenure, the Packers were last in the NFL in yards allowed per carry. In 2024, they finished third.

“I would say our approach frontside of plays,” Rebrovich explained. “I think we’re getting some knockback at the point of attack, which is now making running backs have to bow out even further or closer to the surest tackler in the world, which we’ve said before is the sideline.

“Or if it cuts back, (and) we’ve had pretty decent pursuit on the backside, whether it’s our backside ends, could be an interior player, backside three technique, nose, whatever it is, or our linebackers behind. And they’ve done an outstanding job.”

Ultimately, though, the pass rush was wildly inconsistent. And that’s probably why LaFleur will be looking for a new defensive line coach.

“We’ve got to put in the work,” he said on Tuesday, “and when you get those opportunities, guys got to be able to win one-on-ones. There’s certain things you can do structurally to help create some one on one opportunities for our guys … but somebody’s got to win.”

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