Green Bay Packers

Green Bay Packers: Ranking the top five offseason needs

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 4:39 p.m. ET

Fansided, Freddie Boston/FanSided via Lombardi Ave

What are the Green Bay Packers’ biggest needs entering the offseason?Here we are again. A gritty effort to reach the NFC Championship Game aside, it’s another year without a Super Bowl appearance for the Packers. Injuries and a lack of defensive talent are to be blamed for Sunday’s blowout defeat in Atlanta. Returning to the promised land requires better play on defense, particularly late in the year.Fixing all that ails this team is easier said than done. After all, defense has been a consistent issue since the Packers last hoisted the Lombardi Trophy. What steps can be taken this offseason to put them in better position to return to the big dance next year?As is the case for every NFL team, there are a number of needs for the Packers. Five stand out more than others. Some of it will depend on free agency, Green Bay faced with many question marks regarding who to bring back this spring.Looking ahead at what will be a busy offseason, what are the Packers’ biggest needs?Next: Building depth

5. Defensive line

The play of the Packers defensive line was about as good as you could’ve hoped entering the season. Mike Daniels dominated as only he can, and the play of his teammates along the line was above-average throughout the year. Rookie Kenny Clark stepped up in the playoffs, finishing his debut year on a strong note.

Along with the development of Clark and Dean Lowry, as well as the overall solid play of Letroy Guion, the Packers would benefit from adding another body to the mix.

As unlikely as it may be, this is a great opportunity to bolster the defensive line in free agency. Should the Packers go “all-in” as Aaron Rodgers hopes, an addition such as Arizona’s Calais Campbell could be huge. Campbell is an outstanding player, but at 31-years-old shouldn’t command the lofty salary he would five years ago. If he leaves Arizona, the appeal of chasing a ring in Green Bay could tempt him.

Re-signing star safety Eric Berry is Kansas City’s top priority, and with limited cap room available, they may be forced to part ways with Dontari Poe. Poe played through injury in 2016, but when healthy would make a dominant partnership with Mike Daniels.

I’m placing both free agents on my Packers wish-list.

4. Inside linebacker

Death, taxes and the Green Bay Packers need help at inside linebacker.

Ted Thompson passed on the opportunity to go after the Danny Trevathans and Jerrell Freemans of the world last year in free agency, both coincidentally landing in Chicago. He instead opted for Blake Martinez in the draft’s fourth round, the same time he selected Jake Ryan a year earlier.

Ryan and Martinez are solid players, but inside linebacker remains one of the weakest parts on the Green Bay roster. Opponents have picked on them in coverage, and neither is great against the run. Ryan was the Packers’ highest-graded linebacker by Pro Football Focus, but it was only good for No. 43 at the position.

The Packers would greatly benefit from adding an enforcer in the middle of the field, either through the draft or free agency. More experience at inside linebacker would make sense, or simply shifting Clay Matthews inside and drafting a rookie.

Should the Packers look at free agency, Dont’a Hightower’s name sticks out as the best option. Injuries have plagued him throughout his career, but if healthy he could make a big difference to Green Bay’s front seven.

3. Running back

How Green Bay deals with its running back conundrum is a story to follow. Eddie Lacy is set to hit free agency, and it’s unclear whether the Packers want him back.

We all remember the dominant Lacy of 2013 and 2014. Over his first two seasons in the league, Lacy piled up 2,317 yards rushing with 20 touchdowns. He added another 684 yards receiving with four touchdowns. His presence in the backfield forced an extra defender into box, leading to Green Bay’s unstoppable offense in 2014, one that helped the Packers to the NFC’s second seed, and Aaron Rodgers a second league MVP award.

Then there’s bad Lacy. Overweight and appearing uninterested, Lacy’s career took a turn for the worse in 2015. In 15 games, he posted just 758 yards and three touchdowns, lacking the explosiveness we were used to seeing. Lacy refocused in the offseason, and averaged 5.1 yards per carry in the five games he played in 2016.

An ankle issue wiped out the remainder of his season, and it’s not the first time the powerful back has been hampered by injury.

If Lacy comes back, it’ll likely be on a team-friendly deal. Should he hit the open market, there’s every possibility another team takes a flier and pays up. In that scenario, finding a running back in the draft would become one of Green Bay’s biggest needs. For all of Ty Montgomery’s talent, his role should be that of a complementary piece to a bruising downhill runner.

2. Pass rusher

Despite posting 40 sacks in the regular season, good for No. 6 in the NFL, the Packers were let down by their pass rush in the postseason. Matt Ryan could sit and drink coffee while he waited for his receivers to get open. When Dom Capers couldn’t win with three and four man pressures, he sent the house. That proved to be a mistake.

Nick Perry led the way with 11 sacks this year, but his future is uncertain. Perry, a free agent to be, raises health concerns after a career plagued with injuries. Should he wish to test the market, a team may be willing to go above and beyond to sign him. Even if Green Bay keeps him in the building, adding more talent is essential.

Julius Peppers, who accounted for almost a quarter of the Packers’ sacks (7.5) is unlikely to return, and may retire from football completely. Clay Matthews, meanwhile, isn’t the same player he once was. Matthews dealt with a slew of injuries this year, clearly affecting his game. Nonexistent down the stretch, a pay cut or move back inside could be in Matthews’ future.

The Packers will expect a jump from second-year pass rusher Kyler Fackrell, but adding more talent is a top priority this offseason.

1. Cornerback

No position is of greater need for the Packers than at cornerback. Sam Shields’ season-ending injury in September led to a negative snowball effect in the secondary, similar to the wide receiver position following Jordy Nelson’s injury in 2015.

Shields was easily Green Bay’s best corner, and his injury proved too much to overcome. Damarious Randall and Quinten Rollins, the Packers’ top two picks in the 2015 NFL Draft, were hit hard by the injury bug, both players regressing from encouraging rookie campaigns. Fellow second-year LaDarius Gunter, undrafted in 2015, proved to be the team’s best corner for much of the season.

The Packers won’t give up on their young corners. Randall and Rollins need to get healthy and step up in their third year, just as Davante Adams did at receiver.

They can’t afford to bank on these young corners improving, however, and must add talent at the position. Should Ted Thompson opt for the (unlikely) free agency route, names like Prince Amukamara and Trumaine Johnson could come into play.

That isn’t Thompson’s style, and he’ll likely dive into the draft’s talented group of corners.