Packers: 5 offseason priorities to bounce back in 2018

3. Strengthen pass rush

It’s difficult to win in the postseason without a consistent pass rush. The Packers have learned the hard way how the story unfolds when they give a top-tier quarterback time in the pocket. We see games like Sunday’s loss in Carolina, when Cam Newton picked apart Green Bay’s secondary and threw four touchdown passes.

We see last season’s NFC Championship Game. That day the Packers didn’t sack Matt Ryan once, and he made them pay with 392 yards and four touchdowns through the air.

Teams that don’t rush the passer consistently often don’t win championships. The teams ranked in the top-10 for sacks this year have a combined win-loss record of 85-55. The teams in the bottom-10 are a combined 46-92.

The last time the Packers won the Super Bowl, they finished the regular season No. 2 in sacks. To get back to the big game, they must first improve up front on defense.

Clay Matthews will be 32-years-old when the new season begins. Nick Perry has a long history of injuries. Both should be part of the defensive plans next year, but Ted Thompson must add more talent at the position, both through the draft and free agency.