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Green Bay Packers 2019 offseason review: Edge rusher

By Freddie Boston

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - NOVEMBER 25: Kirk Cousins #8 of the Minnesota Vikings is sacked by Kyler Fackrell #51 and Kenny Clark #97 of the Green Bay Packers in the third quarter of the game at U.S. Bank Stadium on November 25, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - NOVEMBER 25: Kirk Cousins #8 of the Minnesota Vikings is sacked by Kyler Fackrell #51 and Kenny Clark #97 of the Green Bay Packers in the third quarter of the game at U.S. Bank Stadium on November 25, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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Reviewing the Green Bay Packers edge rushers as the offseason begins.

While the Green Bay Packers defense finished with 44 sacks in 2018, tied for eighth-most in the NFL, it was a disappointing season for Packers edge rushers not named Kyler Fackrell.

Edge rusher is one of the team’s biggest needs this offseason, and general manager Brian Gutekunst will also need to decide whether to re-sign Clay Matthews.

The Packers need to make some big changes at edge rusher this offseason.

Kyler Sackrell

If you’d have said in preseason that the trio of Clay Matthews, Nick Perry and Kyler Fackrell would combine for 15.5 sacks in 2018, few would’ve believed that 10.5 would belong to Fackrell, who earned the nickname “Kyler Sackrell” deservedly this past season.

Will Fackrell go on to regularly post double-digit sacks? Time will tell, but he showed potential with a couple of three-sack games this season.

His performance at Seattle was particularly encouraging. Fackrell made six tackles and had three sacks.

Time for change

But outside of Fackrell, no Packers edge rusher consistently made an impact. Clay Matthews finished with just 3.5 sacks, Nick Perry 1.5.

Matthews will hit free agency this offseason, and the Packers could also decide to move on from Perry to free up cap room.

The pass rush has been an issue for the Packers for a few years, and it’s time to get younger with some big changes at edge rusher. Green Bay should move on from Matthews and Perry and hope one of the top free agent pass rushers doesn’t get re-signed by their current team.

DeMarcus Lawrence, Jadeveon Clowney, Dee Ford and Frank Clark are all free agents this offseason, but it’s too early too tell who will be available when the new league year begins. It’s possible all four are re-signed or are franchise tagged.

If one of the top free agent edge rushers is available, the Packers should do everything they can to make a big signing. The draft will also be important.

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It’s time for the Green Bay Packers to fix their pass rush, and that starts by moving on from Matthews and Perry.

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