The Green Bay Packers’ defense had many positives in 2024 under Jeff Hafley in his first season leading the unit.
However, the edge rusher position remained a concern. ESPN insider Matt Bowen predicts the Packers will address this issue by acquiring star pass rusher this offseason.
It’s worth noting that Matt Bowen accurately predicted last offseason that Xavier McKinney would end up in Green Bay. The Packers had lingering concerns at safety, but McKinney erased most of them with an outstanding 2024 season.
There’s no denying it—Green Bay needs to improve its pass rush. Rashan Gary found his stride late after a sluggish start, while Lukas Van Ness was largely ineffective throughout the season. Meanwhile, the Packers traded Preston Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers after he determined he wasn’t a fit in Jeff Hafley’s system.
Top star could be the answer.
The main hesitation in pursuing Mack is his age—he turns 34 on February 22—and the fact that the Packers rarely take chances on free agents. However, an exception could be justified if GM Brian Gutekunst believes Green Bay is just a piece or two away from Super Bowl contention.
One of those pieces could be an edge rusher.
Mack has remained durable, playing at least 16 games in five of the last six seasons. In 2024 with the Chargers, he recorded six sacks after notching a career-high 17 in 2023.
He still has gas left in the tank and could serve as a short-term fix, though not a long-term solution. The risk, of course, is relying on a 34-year-old pass rusher to elevate a group that underwhelmed for much of 2024.
Gutekunst made a key free-agent addition last year in Xavier McKinney, who became a cornerstone of the defense. McKinney helped Green Bay improve from 26th in turnovers forced per game under Joe Barry in 2023 to 6th in 2024.
The Packers also found young defensive standouts in safety Evan Williams and linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, both of whom could be key pieces for years to come.
Bringing in Mack would signal that the front office truly believes the team is on the verge of a championship push. It would be an uncharacteristic move for Green Bay—but not an impossible one.