The Green Bay Packers' pass rush became Micah Parsons-or-bust late last season. They've taken another step toward fixing that problem by trading up for Chris McClellan.
It's a bold decision, as the Packers moved up seven spots and gave away a fifth-round pick to trade with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brian Gutekunst understood the need to upgrade the defensive line, and McClellan is a perfect pairing for free-agent addition Javon Hargrave and Devonte Wyatt.
McClellan will add sacks. So, too, will Hargrave. Once the Packers lost Parsons and Wyatt to season-ending injuries, it was game over on defense. McClellan will help fix that.
Chris McClellan will ease pressure on Micah Parsons in revamped Packers defensive line
Parsons is an all-world pass-rusher, but he can't do it alone. He likely won't even play for the first month of the regular season and will then need to gradually ramp up his snap count.
The Packers haven't added an edge defender (yet), but addressing the interior positions has smartly taken priority this offseason. Teams bullied the Packers in the middle of their defense last season, especially after they lost Wyatt. They offered little resistance against the run and could barely lay a glove on opposing quarterbacks.
McClellan sure can.
It's a slight shift in approach for Gutekunst, as McClellan's agility testing numbers are a concern. The Packers tend to prioritize athleticism, sometimes to a fault, but here, they have clearly identified a player they love on tape.
And for good reason. McClellan recorded six sacks and eight tackles for loss at Missouri last season. He is a disruptive player.
He now gets to line up alongside a two-time Pro Bowler in Hargrave and a former first-rounder in Wyatt, who was on track for a career year before suffering a season-ending injury. That's a formidable interior pass rush the Packers have built with two major moves up front.
Teams don't win championships without some meanness along the defensive line. You have to win in the trenches.
Some will call it a slight reach, but here's the reality: In a defensive line class that had already seen the vast majority of the top prospects taken early, Gutekunst jumped up to get his top target.
McClellan isn't the elite athlete the Packers typically prefer, but he has put proven production on tape. It's smart business by Gutekunst, and a move that will help Parsons once he returns.
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