Jeff Hafley’s Green Bay Packers defense had to resort to blitzing and games up front to pressure the quarterback during the 2024 season, but the first-year defensive coordinator got terrific production out of both concepts even as the Packers struggled to get home with a traditional four-man rush.
According to Pro Football Focus, the Packers led the NFL in pressure percentage on blitzes and were fifth in pressure percentage on stunts in 2024.
Per PFF’s charting, the Packers generated pressure on an NFL-best 48.3 percent of blitz attempts and 46.7 percent of stunts. PFF pointed to linebacker Edgerrin Cooper and cornerback Keisean Nixon as successful blitzers who helped Hafley generate pressure — both Cooper and Nixon had elite pass-rush grades over 90.0 in 2024.
The Packers planned to rush four and play coverage behind the front in Hafley’s scheme, but an inconsistent front four required a transition, and Hafley — in his first season an NFL coordinator — successfully found ways to dial up pressures. Cooper, a dynamic player moving downhill, produced 12 pressures on only 56 pass-rushing attempts. The Packers also got pass-rushing production from linebacker Quay Walker (14 pressures), Nixon (nine pressures), linebacker Eric Wilson (nine pressures) and linebacker Isaiah McDuffie (eight pressures), highlighting how second-level defenders were able to help Hafley’s defense speed up and disrupt quarterbacks on creative and well-timed blitzes.
This offseason, Hafley admitted the Packers will need to “evolve” in their pressure packages to stay ahead of offenses entering the 2025 season.
“We need to evolve,” Hafley said. “We can’t just do the same thing. Say here’s the play book, this is what we’re running. No, we’re a different team. It’s a different year. Offenses are going to evolve, we have to evolve.”
The Packers are hoping new defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington will help get the most out of the defensive line in 2025, which would — in theory — create less pressure on Hafley to use blitzes to disrupt pockets and passing games. It’s no coincidence that a few of the NFL’s best defenses — like the Eagles and Broncos — were among the best at pressuring the quarterbacks with four or fewer rushers.