Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettine knows he needs to build depth around Kenny Clark along the defensive line, and he’s increasingly confident second-year defensive lineman Kingsley Keke can be a big part of the solution in 2020.
Asked about a player to watch on his defense, Pettine immediately pointed to Keke, the Packers’ fifth-round pick in the 2019 draft.
“He had a long way to go as a very raw player, we saw the talent coming out of Texas A&M, but he was just very raw,” Pettine said during a conference call with reporters. “Had a pretty good knack as a pass rusher, had some natural ability there. Just as far as his run technique, pad level, playing with his hands and having a good understanding of all the information we gather pre-snap. What’s the down and distance, what personnel grouping are they in, what’s the formation telling us, all those little details. It takes some guys a little while to learn and apply it. He was a guy that, as the year went on, and he got his opportunities in there, he was productive for us. He’s someone we’re looking forward to having a much more increased role.”
A bigger role for Keke is possible because Pettine and the Packers hope to create a greater variety and more depth along the defensive line. Clark, a dominant nose tackle, played almost 900 snaps during the regular season. The Packers want that number to come down. Tyler Lancaster played out of position for most of 2019. They feel he’s better as a backup to Clark on the nose. Dean Lowry, another starter, was on the field for over 60 percent of snaps and had a disappointing season.
Establishing more specific roles will require building the necessary depth around Clark, Lancaster and Lowry.
“I don’t think it was any secret. we’ve talked about it, we felt Kenny played too many plays,” Pettine said. “Tyler is more of a true backup nose. And we wanted to get Dean off the field some too. So developing some depth in that room (is important).”
The Packers hope Keke or Montravius Adams can develop into a starting-level defensive end, which would create more competition for Lowry and allow Lancaster to play more snaps at his best position. They’re also optimistic about Treyvon Hester and Gerald Willis, two free agents signed this offseason along the defensive line.
“Keke is going to have to step up, Montravius is going to have to step up,” Pettine said. “We are excited about the two guys we brought in as free agents. Treyvon Hester and Gerald Willis are both guys who have done some good things on tape. We’re looking forward to getting those guys in camp.”
Pettine said he wants front-seven defenders who can create knock backs and attack up the field. They want to control gaps by getting off blocks but also create disruptions in gaps by beating blocks and winning in the backfield. It’s unclear how many players the Packers have on the roster who are capable of executing everything consistently. Clark is one. The rest are question marks.
Keke might have the best chance to develop into one of those players. He’s long and athletic and looks capable of handling more weight and playing bigger as he gets stronger. Despite limited playing time as a rookie, Keke flashed the kind of physical traits that should translate well into the three-man front.
Now, the mental side must catch up. All young players feel like they’re drowning in the details, constantly struggling to keep up with all the information thrown at them as rookies. Second-year players come back more comfortable, more physically prepared and ready to play faster. The Packers hope all those factors come together for Keke, who figures to play a vital role in building depth for a defensive line needing help in 2020.
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