NFL exec ‘worried’ about Packers defense despite 2024 buzz | News, scores, highlights, stats and rumors

The Green Bay Packers are receiving a lot of attention as potential Super Bowl contenders heading into the 2024 season, but one NFL executive doesn’t believe the rumors.

“I’m concerned about the defense,” the GM told Mike Sando of The Athletic in a story published Thursday. “They weren’t very good defensively last year. Their new coordinator has never done that in the NFL. They’re going from a 3-4 to a 4-3. I really don’t know what to buy there to know how good they’re going to be.”

Green Bay hired Jeff Hafley as its new defensive coordinator this offseason. Although Hafley has been an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers in the past, he is best known for his work in college football.

He helped lead Ohio State to the Big Ten and College Football Playoff championships as defensive coordinator in 2019, then became Boston College’s head coach for the past four seasons. The Eagles went 22-26 during his tenure, although they improved to 7-6 and won the Fenway Bowl last season.

Despite the hype surrounding the Packers entering the new season, they were just 9-8 in 2023 and needed three straight wins late in the season to sneak into the playoffs. Those three wins came against the Carolina Panthers, Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears, who all failed to qualify for the playoffs.

To their credit, Green Bay took full advantage of their chance to advance to the postseason, surprising the Dallas Cowboys on the road and then challenging the eventual NFC champions, the San Francisco 49ers, losing by three points in the divisional round.

Point guard Jordan Love could also take the next step with a full season of starting time under his belt.

But the defense will need to improve after finishing 17th in the league in yards allowed last season if the Packers are to be a true Super Bowl contender. Front office made a change by selecting Hafley, who will be put to the test Friday against the Philadelphia Eagles.