Tag: devonte wyatt

Packers need ‘huge steps’ from TJ Slaton and Devonte Wyatt

Kenny Clark knows the Packers need big jumps from TJ Slaton and Devonte Wyatt along the DL.

The Green Bay Packers don’t only hope that TJ Slaton and Devonte Wyatt take big steps in 2023; the defensive front needs them to.

With Jarran Reed and Dean Lowry heading elsewhere in free agency, Slaton and Wyatt are now the second and third most experienced players on the roster at this position group, behind only Kenny Clark, and both are going to be relied upon much more heavily this season.

“They have to take huge steps,” Clark told reporters on Wednesday. “TJ (Slaton), I love how he came in, and D-Wy (Devonte Wyatt), they’ve been doing a great job getting better every day. But we’re all expecting TJ and Dy-Wy (to make) big steps coming this year. I’m going to be there every day pushing them. I know the coaches are going to push them. We are going to make sure they’re right by week one.”

At 6-5 and 340 pounds, Slaton will be the early down run-stuffer on this Packers defensive front. In his role, he isn’t always going to fill the stat sheet, but his teammates will feel his presence. Slaton will be taking up space and running lanes and also occupying double teams, which will create opportunities for those around him.

Wyatt was averaging fewer than 15 snaps per game through the first 16 weeks but took on a larger role once Lowry was placed on IR. During those final three games, Wyatt made some noise as a pass rusher, recording five pressures and two sacks. However, this season, Wyatt is going to have to be asked to do more, specifically against the run, where he still has room to grow.

“He finished the season off really good,” said Clark about Wyatt. “That Lions’ game, he balled out, for sure, against a really good offensive line. He’s always going to be a great pass rusher as long as he keeps on developing; the biggest thing is he has to learn the technique with the run. That’s what myself and coach are trying to push each other to do. Just helping him learn the technique of how we play the run and the mentality you need to have as a three-down player.”

As I wrote recently, the Packers do not have a shortage of pass rush options within their interior defensive line room; the big question, however, is how do they go about stopping the run, an area where as a defensive unit Green Bay has to be better in 2023.

Clark can’t play 100% of the defensive snaps week in and week out, and the Packers are going to want him on the field in pass-rushing situations. This likely means – barring a free agent addition – that, along with Slaton, Wyatt be utilized more often on early downs.

Following the draft, GM Brian Gutekunst spoke highly of rookies Colby Wooden and Karl Brooks’ abilities to get after the passer, but given the lack of depth within this room, both will likely have to see some run defense snaps out of necessity. Brooks has the size to play inside, but Wooden will likely be more of a defensive end and edge-setter in these situations. As rookies, both are going to be inconsistent, which again, puts more of the onus on Slaton and Wyatt.

Last season, the Green Bay defense allowed 5.0 yards per rush, which ranked 28th in the NFL. But during the final four games of the season, when the defense was playing its best football, the defensive front was also holding up much better against the run. In that stretch, the Packers allowed just 4.4 yards per rush, which for context, if done throughout the entire season, would have ranked 15th.

When the defense is able to contain the run game, it puts the offense in third and longs and predictable passing situations. This allows for the defensive front to get after the quarterback, which should be a strength for Green Bay, along with providing the secondary more opportunities to make plays on the ball. If the Packers’ defense is going to improve in 2023, it starts by slowing the run, and that is going to require jumps from Slaton and Wyatt.

“We definitely have to start faster,” said Clark when asked how the defense can improve in 2023. “But again, I think it starts with tackling and stopping the run. Whenever guys got in third and long situations, we usually got off the field and made plays on the ball, got sacks, or whatever the case may be. So that’s our goal, stop guys on first and second down, and get them in third and long situations. If they throw the ball short, be able to tackle the ball carrier.”

Matt LaFleur: Packers need breakout second season from Devonte Wyatt

Can DL Devonte Wyatt be a breakout candidate in 2023? “Yeah, he’s going to need to. We’re going to need that from him,” Matt LaFleur said.

Gone are Dean Lowry and Jarran Reed, who played 1,187 snaps along the defensive line of the Green Bay Packers last season. Left behind is a giant roster hole that coach Matt LaFleur is hoping 2022 first-round pick Devonte Wyatt can help fill.

Asked if Wyatt is a breakout candidate in 2023, LaFleur said the Packers can’t afford for him not to be an impactful player in Year 2.

“Yeah, he’s going to need to. We’re going to need that from him,” LaFleur told Larry McCarren of the team’s official site from the NFL Annual Meetings. “I think he’s shown flashes.”

Wyatt, the 28th overall pick last year, played only 244 snaps over 16 games as a rookie. Part of his lack of opportunity was playing behind veterans like Lowry, Reed and Kenny Clark. Another part was the sometimes arduous process of learning how to play along the defensive line at the NFL level.

“It’s going to be a big year in terms of just the understanding of the game and reading keys. That helps you play the position a lot better,” LaFleur said.

Wyatt, who turned 25 years old on Friday, played at least 15 snaps in five of the Packers’ last seven games after playing just 81 total snaps in the first 10 weeks. He produced six pressures (1.5 sacks), four defensive stops and a forced fumble between Weeks 12-18.

LaFleur pointed to a better understanding of “tips and tells” from the opposing offensive line as a vital part of Wyatt’s development in Year 2. An interior defender can play faster and be more disruptive when the player quickly and accurately processes what they are seeing pre-snap and immediately post-snap. It’s on Wyatt to prove he’s up to the task, especially as a first-rounder who is playing such an important position along the line of scrimmage.

Unless the Packers make a splash addition between now and Week 1, Wyatt will be an expected starter who could play 30 or more snaps every week.

Can he take the second-year leap that so many talented young players enjoy in the NFL?

“He’s going to have to put a lot of time and effort and work in to make sure he’s up to the standard of a guy like Kenny Clark,” LaFleur said.

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Packers rookie review: DL Devonte Wyatt

A review of the rookie season of Devonte Wyatt, the Packers’ second of two first-round picks in the 2022 NFL draft.

The Green Bay Packers made 11 picks during the 2022 NFL draft: six offensive players and five defensive players. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be going through and reviewing the 2022 season for all of the Packers’ rookies.

Next up: interior defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt, the 28th overall pick and the Packers’ second of two first-round draft picks in 2022:

Packers first-round pick Devonte Wyatt to take on expanded role without Dean Lowry

Devonte Wyatt, the Packers’ first-round pick, is about to become an important player down the stretch for Green Bay.

Dean Lowry’s 2022 season came to an unfortunate end during Sunday’s win over the Miami Dolphins. The Green Bay Packers defensive lineman suffered a calf injury in the first half, forcing the team to put him on injured reserve on Tuesday. That means the Packers will ask more of Devonte Wyatt, who has been eagerly awaiting this opportunity since his 28th overall selection back in April.

Wyatt knows that just because you might be a first-round pick doesn’t mean you’re automatically a starter.

Much like they do with their wide receivers, Green Bay will rarely ask a defensive lineman to step in and play extensive snaps in their first season. Before he was a two-time Pro Bowler, Kenny Clark played only 32 percent of the defensive snaps as a rookie. Lowry played half of that as a fourth-rounder in 2016.

Wyatt was given the same treatment despite being one of the best defensive tackles in the country during his final season at the University of Georgia. In four of his first five NFL games, Wyatt never eclipsed double-digit snaps.

That changed as the season progressed, and Wyatt’s splash plays eventually caught the attention of his coaches, leading to an uptick in snaps even before Lowry got hurt.

“He’s earned that because of the way he’s worked and improved,” defensive coordinator Joe Barry said Thursday.

Now Barry expects Wyatt’s role to increase even more after playing a  career-high 24 snaps against the Dolphins.

One thing the Packers can have been able to count on regardless of playing time is Wyatt’s effort. It was on full display when he was chasing down Miami’s quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to force an incompletion or making a downfield tackle on tight end Durham Smythe last Sunday. Making those types of hustle plays is a large part of who Wyatt is as a player.

It definitely didn’t dwindle in the previous two games when Wyatt’s snaps dipped back down into the single digits. In week 13 against the Chicago Bears, Wyatt was the team’s top-graded defender by Pro Football Focus. Two weeks later, against the Los Angeles Rams, he received the second-highest grade and contributed to his first career sack with some help from Justin Hollins.

In both games, Wyatt played only nine snaps but still made the most of them.

“The thing that I think he’s done a great job with is he’s such a diligent worker,” Barry said. “The way he plays the game- at least once he gets out on the grass- is he plays his tail off and with unbelievable effort.”

Wyatt has only played 19 percent of the defensive snaps, but he has two regular season games and hopefully a playoff run to show he is ready to take on an expanded role in next year’s defense.

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How are Georgia’s first-round rookies performing?

How are Georgia’s five NFL first-round draft picks performing in their respective rookie seasons?

The Georgia Bulldogs had a record-setting 2022 NFL draft. Five Georgia defenders were selected in the first round of the draft, which is a NFL record (for one college in one year).

The Bulldogs set the all-time record for most players selected in a seven-round NFL draft with 15. How are Georgia’s five NFL first-round picks performing in their respective rookie seasons?

Packers rookie DT Devonte Wyatt deserves more playing time

While buried on the depth chart, it’s time for first-round pick Devonte Wyatt to get more snaps for the Packers defense.

The Green Bay Packers used two first-round picks in April to pluck a pair of prospects from a dominant University of Georgia defense. The Packers have gotten a good look at linebacker Quay Walker, who has started every game this season and logged nearly 400 snaps. However, the same can’t be said for defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt, who has played only 14 percent of the snaps on defense this season.

Despite Wyatt’s sparing playing time as a rookie, the signs for a player with tremendous upside are there. Take Week 3 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, for example. Yes, it was only in seven snaps, but Wyatt was the team’s top-graded defender by Pro Football Focus, which included a near sack on Tom Brady.

Then again this past week, Wyatt came close to his first career sack, this time against Jared Goff using an impressive club-rip move.

These types of eyebrow-raising plays are not uncommon for Wyatt. They may not always result in a sack or tackle, but they do a good job demonstrating the talent of a first-round selection.

Usually, first-round picks have little trouble getting onto the field as a rookie, and Wyatt seemed to be one of the most pro-ready players in the draft at 24 years of age. However, he is lucky to see double-digit snaps in any given week.

Part of the reason is the team’s depth on the defensive line. Kenny Clark is an All-Pro talent and an every-down player. The team also added veteran Jarran Reed during the offseason to assist Clark with a bulk of the snaps.

But guys like Dean Lowry and TJ Slaton are seemingly stealing snaps from Wyatt’s plate. Green Bay has been hesitant to limit Lowry’s role after signing him to a three-year deal worth over $20 million in 2019. Lowry is an average pass rusher with a knack for getting pummeled in the run game and whose time with the team should end when his contract expires at the end of the season.

Slaton is in a similar predicament to Wyatt. The splash plays are scattered, but as a fifth-round pick, he doesn’t have Wyatt’s athleticism. Remember, Wyatt is the same guy who ran a 4.77 at the NFL Scouting Combine while measuring in at 6-3, 304 pouns. A guy his size shouldn’t move the way he does and should separate him from the other defensive lineman on Green Bay’s roster.

Perhaps the Packers’ reluctance to unleash Wyatt traces back to the summer. The rookie struggled during training camp before showing flashes in the preseason. Now those flashes are happening in meaningful games, but Wyatt is stuck at fifth on the depth chart in favor of guys with limited upside.

Sometimes, the best way for a young player to learn is to throw him into the water and let him sink or swim. In Wyatt’s case, he has outlasted the shallow end and is ready to paddle into deeper water.

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2022 NFL schedule: Game-by-game predictions for the Eagles after the bye

We’re predicting the outcome of the Philadelphia Eagles’ final 11 games after the Week 7 bye

The Eagles’ 2022 regular season NFL schedule was revealed back in May, and the team set out to improve on their 9-8 record from last season.

Philadelphia added Haason Reddick and Kyzir White during free agency and then, on draft night, swapped six picks for the chance to draft Jordan Davis and acquire wide receiver A.J. Brown from the Titans via a trade.

The schedule was considered favorable even though the Eagles entered the season facing four playoff teams from 2021, three from the NFC, along with the Titans, Cardinals, Cowboys, and Packers in high-profile matchups.

Last offseason, we predicted a 10-7 finish, and if not for Nick Sirianni benching his starters in the season finale, we would have prevailed.

We initially predicted a 12-5 finish to the regular season with a much-improved roster and star power on defense.

With Philadelphia undefeated heading into Week 8 and coming out of the bye, we are predicting the Eagles’ final 11 games of the 2022 NFL regular season.

Breaking down the Eagles remaining schedule after the bye week

Here’s a game-by-game breakdown of the Philadelphia Eagles remaining 11 games of the 2022 NFL regular season after the bye week

Philadelphia is hours away from returning to the NovaCare Complex to prepare for a Week 8 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The schedule is favorable even though the Eagles will face four playoff teams from 2021, three from the NFC, including remaining contests against the Titans, Giants, Cowboys, and Packers in high-profile matchups.

The divisional opponents are set, and Philadelphia will face off against the NFC North and the AFC South as part of the rotation of games down the stretch.

Here’s a preview of the Eagles’ remaining schedule.

Jalen Carter seems determined to prove that he’s still Georgia’s best defender

Georgia DI Jalen Carter might have been the best player on 2021’s historic defense. Carter seems ready to be even better in 2022.

The Georgia Bulldogs’ 2021 defense was historically great, and that reflected in Georgia’s draft status on that side of the ball in 2022. Edge-rusher Travon Walker went first overall to the Jaguars. DI Jordan Davis went to the Eagles with the 13th pick, linebacker Quay Walker went to the Packers 22nd overall, DI Devonte Wyatt also went to Green Bay, this time with the 28th pick, and safety Lewis Cine finished out the first round, going to the Vikings with the 32nd pick.

Five defensive players from one school in one first round? That’s the most ever. Linebackers Nakobe Dean (Eagles) and Channing Tindall (Dolphins) each went in the third round, so if you want to know how great that defense was, and those players were… there’s your answer.

Still, when you ask people familiar with Georgia’s defense, many will tell you that the best player on that defense in 2021 is still on the Bulldogs’ roster. That would be DI Jalen Carter, who’s eligible for the 2023 draft. Last season, Carter totaled four sacks, six quarterback hits, and 24 quarterback hurries. But as we have detailed, you can’t analyze Georgia’s defenders based on pressure numbers; you’ll miss the forest for the trees. You have to watch the tape, and in Georgia’s 2022 opener against the Oregon Ducks on Saturday afternoon, Carter already looked in playoff form. On this tackle for loss, Carter (No. 88) took Oregon’s Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu — all six-foot-6 and 330 pounds of him — and threw him aside like the proverbial sack of potatoes.

The six-foot-3,m 310-pound Carter had a knack for plays like this last season. Here, Georgia Tech’s right tackle tried to keep up with Carter on the edge, and one simple swipe move later, it was all over.

And on this play against Kentucky… well, I’m not sure how the right guard was supposed to deal with Carter’s ungodly combination of quickness across the blocker’s face and speed to the pocket, but it wasn’t this.

And if you’re going to run a simple slide against Carter, as UAB did here, you’re basically bringing a spork to a gunfight.

We’ll get a lot more into Carter’s pass-rushing abilities as time goes on — he seems like a lead-pipe top-three pick if this keeps up, and I had him going second overall to the Texans in my most recent mock draft, behind only Alabama EDGE Will Anderson Jr. to the Falcons first overall. This is just a reminder to Georgia’s opponents that unless you get off the ball very quickly, and you bring all kinds of help to deal with him, Jalen Carter is going to ruin your offense.

Loaded everywhere, Packers defense has elite players at each level

The Packers defense is as good, at least on paper, as it’s ever been in the Aaron Rodgers era.

On paper, the Green Bay Packers have one of the most talented defensive units in the NFL. It’s arguably the most talented defensive group of the Aaron Rodgers era. 

“I like our defense on paper for sure,” Rodgers said. “It’s one of the best defenses on paper that we’ve had.”

Green Bay’s defense has elite playmakers at every level of the defense.

Pro Bowler Kenny Clark is one of the best interior defensive linemen in the league. 

For the first time in his career, Clark finally has a talented supporting cast. This offseason Green Bay’s general manager, Brian Gutekunst signed veteran defensive lineman Jarran Reed and drafted Devonte Wyatt in the first round. 

From a talent standpoint, Wyatt is hands down the most skilled defensive lineman that Clark has played with since Green Bay selected the former UCLA Bruin in the first round in 2016. 

“He can be really good on first and second down,” Green Bay defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery said. “He’s an inside guy that has some unique traits as a pass-rusher…He’s got twitch…Really, really good defensive line traits.”

Aside from the two newcomers, the Packers return Dean Lowry and T.J. Slaton to round out the defensive line unit. Lowry enjoyed a career year last season. Lowry recorded a career-high five sacks, while Slaton flashed potential in limited playing time during his rookie season. 

Rashan Gary is primed to enjoy a monster season. The 2019 first-round pick recorded 9.5 sacks and consistently got after the quarterback (87 pressures) last season.

“Rashan is a tone-setter,” Matt LaFleur said. “He’s relentless. He plays with a great motor and energy and I think it rubs off on everybody. He makes everyone around him better.”

Across from Gary, is Preston Smith, who enjoyed a bounce-back season in 2021. After posting four sacks in 2020, Smith recorded nine sacks last season. 

De’Vondre Campbell earned all-pro honors during his first season in Green Bay in 2021. Campbell will be joined in the middle by first-round selection, Quay Walker. 

In the secondary, the Packers have the best cornerback trio in the league. Jaire Alexander, Eric Stokes, and Rasul Douglas give Barry a trio of cornerbacks capable of locking up the opposing team’s top receiving weapons. 

“All three of those guys in my mind are elite players,” LaFleur said. “They’re super versatile. Whether they’re in the slot or outside, I think they have the skill set to do it all.”

Adrian Amos and Darnell Savage form a formidable duo in the back end of the secondary for Barry. 

Amos is the model of consistency. Since signing with the Packers in 2019, Amos has yet to miss a game and has recorded 84 or more tackles and eight or more pass deflections each season. This past season, Amos recorded a career-high 93 tackles to go along with eight pass deflections and two interceptions.

Is this the year that Savage puts it all together? The former first-round pick enjoyed a stellar sophomore season in 2020 after he recorded 32 tackles, four interceptions, and seven pass deflections during the final six games of the regular season.

After a disappointing season in 2021, can Savage replicate the success he enjoyed down the stretch in 2020? If he can, the Packers could have the best secondary in the league.

“I feel like we’re loaded everywhere,” Clark said. “We got great defensive backs. We got a great front. Great linebackers. We’re fast. We can do a little bit of everything…I think we’re a stout defense on all levels.”

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