Packers defense ready to deal with heightened expectations

Updated May. 17, 2022 7:44 p.m. ET

Associated Press

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — As they chase their fourth consecutive NFC North title and first Super Bowl berth in more than a decade, the Green Bay Packers may rely on a different formula than usual.

could force the Packers to lean more on a defense that returned most of its top playmakers and added

“When you have a quarterback like we have, if we keep doing our job building on defense, our mindset is that we want to win a world title,” defensive coordinator Joe Barry said Tuesday. “We want to win a championship. That’s the mindset we have every single day when we walk into this building.”

The Packers ranked ninth in total defense and tied for 13th in scoring defense last year in Barry’s first season as coordinator, but their playoff performance offered an indication they’re capable of accomplishing much more.

Green Bay’s defense didn’t allow a single touchdown in a

“Even though from a team standpoint it was brutal, devastating — we didn’t hoist the Lombardi Trophy, so in our mind it’s a failure as a team — but when you do look at the specifics of the way we played, we played good,” Barry said. “But our goal is to play great, and our goal is to play great every single week.”

The Packers have spent the offseason adding to that defense while losing one of their top playmakers on offense with

All-Pro linebacker

The Packers then used both of their first-round picks on defense by taking a pair of Georgia teammates, with linebacker Quay Walker going 22nd overall and tackle Devonte Wyatt getting taken 28th.

Walker said last week at the team's rookie minicamp he already was looking forward to working with Barry, who came to Green Bay after four seasons as the Los Angeles Rams linebackers coach.

“Coach Joe B, he’s everything and more,” Walker said at the rookie minicamp earlier this month.

Green Bay does lack pass-rushing depth after releasing Za’Darius Smith, who had a combined 26 sacks for the Packers from 2019-20 and is

The Packers also should get a boost from the return of star cornerback Jaire Alexander, who

“No one really realizes what he did just to get back for us for the playoff game because he had a major injury,” Barry said. “A lot of guys would have just cashed it in and said, ‘Hey, I’ll see you in May.’ He busted his butt to get back and really was not 100%. He played his butt off in that playoff game.”

The return of Alexander, the addition of two first-round picks and the signings of Campbell and Douglas have produced the rare Green Bay offseason in which fans are nearly as enthusiastic about the defense as the offense.

Of course, that also creates heightened expectations. Packers coach Matt LaFleur acknowledged after the draft that he’s excited about the looks of his defense but noted there’s still plenty of work to do.

“Nothing’s guaranteed,” LaFleur said after the draft. “You can’t take anything for granted. You’ve got to work for it. It’s going to be how our guys come together, how they come back, how they come to work.”

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