Monday Musings: These Packers Need to Play Better
The Packers are about a quarter of the way through the 2025 season, but it’s hard to know who the Packers are yet. After two impressive wins against Detroit and Washington, the Packers looked like the best team in the league. Both the offense and defense looked like juggernauts. That all changed against Cleveland. The Browns began to expose some of the Packers’ deficiencies, and some of the concerns that had been present going into the season started to surface. The bye week came at a much-needed time, so the Packers can address these issues before it’s too late.
Usually, Monday’s musings are about an aspect of the most recent game, but the bye week offered a week without Packers’ football led to different musings, and honestly, more questions than answers. The Packers have shown both glimpses of moments of brilliance and moments of ineptitude. The awesome moments aren’t a fluke, but neither are the head-scratching occasions.
It’s not the time to sound the alarm. There is a lot of football left, and the Packers are still a good football team, but it’s clear they aren’t perfect. The offensive line needs to improve. There are concerns about the defensive line. There is also uncertainty at the cornerback position. If the Packers want to get back to being one of the best teams in the NFL, they will need players to step up to answer some of these questions.
The Big Ugly’s Play Has Been Ugly
It’s no secret that the Packers’ offensive line hasn’t played very well lately. The Packers have already had eight linemen forced into action. The interior of the Packers’ offensive line has played particularly poorly. Injuries have forced a couple of players to play positions they aren’t comfortable playing. There’s an argument to be made that all eight need to play better, but many of the Packers’ offensive line struggles boil down to three players: Elgton Jenkins, Aaron Banks, and Sean Rhyan.
When the Packers let Josh Myers walk in free agency and reports surfaced that Elgton Jenkins would be moving from left guard to center, there was a lot of optimism that this move would be a net gain for the offensive line. Myers hadn’t played well, and Jenkins had played the position before at a high level. Unfortunately, the move looks to be anything but seamless. Jenkins has been inconsistent in pass protection and struggled to move bodies in the run game. Jenkins even looks disinterested at times. It hasn’t been good enough for the guy who is supposed to be the leader of the offensive line room.
While Jenkins is playing a new position this year, it’s a position he’s played in the past. He’s also been healthy and played 100% of the snaps. Through four games, Jenkins has given up two sacks and five hurries. PFF has given Jenkins an overall grade of 59.0, a run block grade of 58.3, and a pass block grade of 64.7. While PFF’s grading system has its share of flaws, it seems notable that these grades are all the lowest of Jenkins' career. He hasn’t been bad, but for a player with a cap hit of $17.6 million, he needs to be better. Rumors have been circulating that Jenkins could be a cap casualty next offseason, and if he keeps playing like this, 2025 will be Jenkins' last as a Packer.
A day after Elgton Jenkins said “I’ve played like shit” Matt LaFleur called it a “mature response.”
“He’s one of our better players so in order to win games in this league, you need your best players to play at their best. It wasn’t just him. It was all of us, myself included.” pic.twitter.com/erLGLtmGwf
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) September 25, 2025
Jenkins' “replacement” at left guard hasn’t been very good, either. The Packers made a pretty sizable investment in Aaron Banks in free agency by giving him a four-year, $77 million contract with $27 million guaranteed. This contract makes him one of the highest-paid guards in the NFL. Up to this point, his performance has not matched the financial investment. Banks has been battling a slew of injuries, dating back to training camp. It has impacted both his performance and his availability. It’s hard to criticize anyone for injuries because they are inevitable in football, but even when Banks is on the field, he’s been bad.
Durability has never been Banks’ calling card. Since signing with Green Bay, Banks has dealt with injuries to his back, ankle, and groin. Banks has only played 74 snaps this season - 43 against Detroit and 31 against Cleveland. He’s given up a sack and two pressures. His pass block efficiency of 96.2 would rank 75th amongst NFL guards. PFF has given him an overall grade of 38.3, a run block grade of 41.6, and a pass block grade of 33.9. All three grades are well below average. Because of his contract, Banks is going to play if he’s healthy, but the Packers have arguably been better when Banks isn’t on the field.
Sean Rhyan was a reliable fixture on the Packers’ offensive line last season. He wasn’t flashy or elite, but he generally got the job done. Over 1,027 offensive snaps, he gave up four sacks and had a pass block efficiency of 96.9. Rhyan entered the 2025 season as the expected starter at right guard once again. He didn’t see much competition throughout most of training camp, but once the season started, he found himself in a timeshare with Jordan Morgan. Initially, that seemed like a peculiar move by the Packers coaches, but it’s fairly easy to understand it now.
Rhyan has played 250 snaps (around 95%) at right guard this season. His Week 1 performance against Detroit was impressive. He alternated series with Morgan for a while, but he didn’t allow any pressures or sacks. His pass block efficiency was 100. It’s been downhill from there. Over the last three games, Rhyan has allowed ten pressures and a sack. He’s also been called for three penalties. His pass block efficiency on the season is 95.6, which is 82nd amongst all guards who have played. PFF has given him an overall grade of 53.5, a run block grade of 60.0, and a pass block grade of 37.9. Rhyan isn’t exactly having himself a very good season for a player in a contract year.
The most important job for the Packers’ offensive line is to protect Jordan Love. As a team, they have allowed 49 pressures, which is the 13th most in the league. Their team pass block efficiency is 79.3, which is 30th in the league. Simply put, they need to be better, and it starts with the guys on the interior. Jenkins and Banks are being paid as if they are amongst the top guys at their positions. Sean Rhyan has shown reliability before. None of the three is living up to expectations, and the Packers need all three to play better if they are going to take the next step offensively.
Nixon Can’t Do It Alone
The Packers need someone to step up at the second cornerback position. With Nate Hobbs missing the first game of the season due to a knee injury he suffered in the preseason, Valentine got the nod as the starting cornerback opposite Keisean Nixon. Hobbs returned in Week 2 but was limited. Hobbs played more snaps in both Weeks 3 and 4, but both players have seen time opposite Keisean Nixon. The problem is that neither has really separated itself from the other.
Valentine was impressive both in Week 1 and Week 2. Over 77 coverage snaps, he only allowed two receptions for 20 yards. He technically gave up a touchdown against Detroit, but that was on an incredible catch by Isaac TeSlaa. Valentine was only targeted six times total. After missing Week 1, Hobbs played pretty well in Week 2 despite playing a limited number of snaps. He was only targeted once over 27 snaps in coverage and didn’t give up a catch.
Both Valentine and Hobbs played decently in Week 3 against Cleveland. For the first time all season, Hobbs played twice as many snaps as Valentine. He gave up one catch for seven yards. Valentine was targeted twice, but didn’t give up a catch. On paper, that seems pretty impressive, but that might have more to do with how poorly Cleveland played offensively and less to do with Hobbs or Valentine. Cleveland’s Joe Flacco-led passing attack was subpar, to say the least.
Week 4 was a nightmare for both players. Hobbs started the game and played 27 snaps in coverage, but Dak Prescott was just picking on him. Hobbs gave up four catches for 55 yards and two touchdowns. The Packers inserted Valentine in the second half, but he was just as bad. Valentine only played 16 coverage snaps, but gave up five receptions for 72 yards and a touchdown. Both performances were ones to forget. Dak Prescott had a passer rating of 135.4 when targeting Hobbs and 158.3 when targeting Valentine. Almost all of the Cowboys’ pass catchers had an average separation of over three yards.
This is only the 2nd TD Carrington Valentine has allowed in his career. And his first since week 14, 2023.
Made him earn it. pic.twitter.com/3RR1ePoYxr
— Jacob Morley (@JacobMorley) September 8, 2025
The Packers gave Nate Hobbs a nice contract over the offseason - four years, $48 million with $16 million guaranteed. They paid him to be a starter. Unfortunately, he missed the majority of training camp and is still getting back up to full speed. Hobbs is also still getting acclimated to primarily playing cornerback on the boundary. Over four years with the Raiders, Hobbs played 1,675 snaps in the slot, 419 snaps in the box, and 845 snaps as an outside cornerback. He’s spent most of his time inside in the slot. The Packers seem to prefer Javon Bullard in the slot, so Hobbs is seeing most of his time as an outside corner, and it’s evident. Opposing quarterbacks have a 109.2 passer rating when targeting Hobbs this season, which is the highest of his career. He’s also allowing 12.4 yards per reception, which is also the highest of his career.
Carrington Valentine has only ever played outside corner. Now in his third season, he has been serviceable every time he’s gotten an opportunity. Valentine played 908 coverage snaps over his first two seasons, and the opponent passer rating when targeting Valentine was 83.2. This year, quarterbacks have a 116.0 passer rating when targeting Valentine. He’s also allowing 13.1 yards per reception. Both numbers are the highest of his career.
The Packers need one of these two players to step up and show they can be a serviceable cornerback. They don’t need to be lockdown corners, but they need to be better. Based on how playing time was trending before the bye week, Hobbs will likely see the bulk of the snaps. Hobbs is the better tackler and more effective against the run. He is also being paid a lot more money than Valentine. That said, Valentine will still see playing time. If he can bounce back and show Jeff Hafley he can be a strong option at outside cornerback, he will get more and more playing time. The Packers need one of these two to step up if they want the defense to return to top form.
The Interior Design Needs a Remodel
The Packers entered 2025 with some real question marks on the defensive line. The move to acquire Micah Parsons shored up the edge position, but trading away Kenny Clark left a lot of unknown on the interior. The Packers expected Devonte Wyatt to make a leap, but after that, no one really knew what they had. Through the first four games, Wyatt was playing well. Unfortunately, Wyatt exited the last two games with a knee injury. The players who replaced him were not good. Ultimately, the Packers will need someone to step up on the interior, or opponents will exploit this part of the Packers’ defense.
Colby Wooden has started all four games opposite Wyatt. He has played 140 total snaps, 60 against the run and 80 against the pass. He’s been credited with two total pressures, six tackles, five assisted tackles, and six run stops. Overall, Wooden’s performance has been very average. He’s better at rushing the passer than he is against the run. PFF has given him an overall grade of 62.9, a run defense grade of 50.2, and a pass rush grade of 73.4. He can be moved off his spot quite easily in the run game. Wooden has been okay in his current role, but he’s going to need to step it up if Wyatt can’t be on the field.
Karl Brooks had an underwhelming preseason, and that’s carried over into the regular season. He’s played 160 total snaps across four games, 35 snaps against the run and 125 against the pass. He’s generated 11 total pressures and a sack. He has also recorded four tackles, one assisted tackle, and four stops. On the season, Brooks has earned an overall PFF grade of 54.4, a run defense grade of 50.7, and a pass rush grade of 62.1. The Packers are clearly trying to keep him off the field in obvious running situations, and it’s clear to see why. He’s much more effective as a pass rusher.
When Wyatt was forced to miss time due to injury, Nazir Stackhouse was the biggest beneficiary. Stackhouse only played 21 snaps through the first three games as a situational defender against the run. He was decent in this role. Stackhouse then played 27 snaps against Dallas, and his performance was bad. This season, Stackhouse has two pressures, two tackles, and an assisted tackle. PFF gave him an overall grade of 38.3, a run defense grade of 32.8, and a pass rush grade of 61.7. When forced into more action, Stackhouse’s deficiencies were exposed.
If Wyatt isn’t healthy, the Packers' options on the interior are concerning. The Packers’ run defense is going to suffer. None of Wooden, Brooks, or Stackhouse has shown they can handle being at the point of attack against the run. Either Jeff Halfley is going to work his magic, or one of these guys is going to have to step up. There’s a world where Warren Brinson could start seeing some time, too, but until he’s active, it would be unfair to assume anything from him. Cleveland and Dallas started to expose this hole in the Packers' defense. Either the Packers figure it out, or more teams are going to expose this obvious weakness.
Nazir Stackhouse (#93) vs the run pic.twitter.com/csmAUWIJY3
— Justis Mosqueda (@JuMosq) September 30, 2025
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Carter Semb is a lifelong Packer fan, shareholder, and season ticket holder. He is a contributor for Cheesehead TV and Packers Talk. For commentary surrounding Wisconsin sports, he can be found on X at @cmsemb.
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