Packers: Three biggest questions following the 2019 NFL Draft

1. Can the defense take the next step?

It’s easy to forget that Green Bay’s defense was OK in 2018 — the unit ranked 18th in total defense. And for all of the pass-rush problems, the Packers finished 12th against the pass and were tied for eighth in sacks with 44. For those reasons, Mike Pettine’s first year as defensive coordinator can be viewed as a success. But it was clear he needed help with offseason additions, primarily at edge rusher and safety.

And now that Brian Gutekunst has aggressively addressed each of the defense’s top needs, can Pettine guide this defense into the top 10? Considering the cap space and high draft picks committed to this side of the ball in recent years, the Packers need the defense to finally become a strength in 2019.

A defensive front featuring Kenny Clark and Mike Daniels, signings Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith, first-round pick Rashan Gary and the Packers’ 2019 sack-leader Kyler Fackrell looks strong on paper. But can this group shut down the run and pressure quarterbacks consistently?

Will the additions of Adrian Amos, Darnell Savage Jr. and Ka’dar Hollman turns things around in the secondary?

For the Packers to be successful in 2019, they’ll need the defense to be more than just OK. This team needs to be able to win games on defense.