The Green Bay Packers announced the long-anticipated move to replace former defensive coordinator Joe Barry early in the offseason. Following an exhaustive search for a replacement, Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley was hired. His hiring also prompted some big changes to the Packers’ defensive coaching staff.
One of these adjustments was the firing of Jerry Montgomery, the team’s longest-tenured coach (he began as a defensive front assistant in 2015). He was quickly hired by the New England Patriots as defensive line coach.
In his place, the Packers elevated Jason Rebrovich to defensive line coach. He joined Green Bay as an outside linebackers coach in 2022 and was their pass rush specialist last season. Rebrovich has served as the defensive line coach for the Buffalo Bills and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Rebrovich and other assistant coaches from the Packers spoke to the media for the first time this summer on Thursday. During his interview, he described how he expected the defensive line to be different this season than it was during the Barry Era.
Jason Rebrovich, Green Bay Packers’ defensive line coach, wants to improve two specific statistics.
Last season, the Packers had a top-10 passing defense in terms of yards allowed per game, ranking ninth with 206.8 yards per game. This was particularly shocking given the injuries and other troubles that plagued the cornerback and safety rooms last season.
In other words, the Packers have an excellent group of defensive backs who can hold their own. The Packers’ defense had multiple issues last year, but it all came down to one thing: they played a reactionary defensive. Instead of being aggressive, they played in response to the offense.
As a result of the Packers’ situational prevent defense, they allowed opponents to score late drives, resulting in Green Bay losing leads. It also resulted in the NFL’s fifth-worst run defense, with 128.3 running yards allowed per game.
While we have yet to see how much stronger the Packers’ defense will be under Hafley, he and his assistant coaches are certainly talking big this offseason. During his Thursday interview, Rebrovich said of his defensive line (via Matt Schneidman): “It’s about TFLs and sacks.” We plan to cause chaos in the backfield.”
Creating chaos in the backfield will only make things easier for the secondary, which finished in the top ten last season despite the front seven’s shortcomings. It will also push opponents to throw more, providing more opportunities for Jaire Alexander, Xavier McKinney, and the rest of the team to create turnovers.
Jason Rebrovich describes the Green Bay Packers defensive line as “Navy SEALs.”
It is commonly established that a good pass rush improves the passing defense. Similarly, stopping running backs from making big gains encourages opposition offenses to play more passing downs. Given the quality of the Packers defense, particularly their secondary, it is critical that they put their opponents in these types of circumstances.
And Rebrovich intends to accomplish exactly that. Schneidman, the defensive line coach, stated: “I’m not trying to associate football with war or anything like that, but we’re the Navy SEALS. We are the first line of defense. The rest of the guys will sit back and do what they need to do.”
“What they need to do” is break up passes and/or assist in stopping runners who have been halted by the aggressive defensive line.
It’s easy to talk a big game, as Rebrovich does, but it’s the kind of intensity that Packers fans have been looking for from their defensive coaches for a long time.
There is definitely a lot to be enthused about.
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