The first season under new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley was undoubtedly a success for the Green Bay Packers. It didn't feel like it at times, of course, and that was especially true as the Packers went 1-5 against their foes in the NFC North, but the stats tell a good story for Hafley's unit.
The Packers were ranked sixth overall in yards given up per game at 315.6. They had a top 15 passing defense and a rushing defense that was ranked seventh amongst all NFL teams, giving up just 99.4 yards per game on the ground. In terms of points per game, the Packers were sixth, giving up 19.9 a contest.
Those are incredible numbers when you think about the context. It was Hafley's first season in Green Bay after leaving the head coaching gig at Boston College to coach under Matt LaFleur. It was also the Packers' first season in a 4-3 defensive scheme. They've been a 3-4 team for years upon years, so being arguably a top 10 defense while adjusting to those changes is, frankly, incredible.
Yes, there's a lot to like about what Hafley was able to do in 2024, but the Packers need to keep growing and getting better. That's especially true with the Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears — now with a new head coach in offensive wunderkind Ben Johnson to go along with Caleb Williams — all boasting potentially potent offenses.
Green Bay General Manager Brian Gutekunst needs to give Hafley more weapons to work with in 2025. Whether that's through the 2025 NFL Draft or via free agency, making a push to become the best defensive unit in the NFL is a must for the Packers.
Here are three players — two through free agency and one through the draft — the Packers need to add in 2025.
D.J. Reed is a must-have for Packers at cornerback
Sauce Gardner is the big name for the New York Jets, so for many NFL fans, there's a chance that D.J. Reed is a bit under the radar.
Reed should be very high on the Packers' radar this offseason, though. So much so that they should use a good chunk of their $43.9 million in cap space to bring him in to bolster the defensive secondary.
The Packers are elite in the back end with Xavier McKinney and Evan Williams holding it down, but former first round pick Eric Stokes will be a free agent the Packers likely won't bring back, and Jaire Alexander struggles to remain healthy. There's a world in which he won't even be with the team next season because there is an out in his contract.
As such, Reed could come in and be Green Bay's CB1 from the get-go. He didn't notch an interception this season, but he did secure 52 tackles and 11 pass breakups. He has six career interceptions since entering the NFL as a fifth-round pick of the San Francisco 49ers in 2018. But there's a case to be made that he could hit his stride given the chance to be a focal point in Green Bay's secondary, especially with McKinney and Williams behind him,
Packers should select Mike Green in the NFL Draft
Green Bay takes Marshall defensive end Mike Green at No. 23 overall in Mel Kiper of ESPN's latest mock draft.
Green finished the 2024 season with 17 sacks, which led the nation. His 22 tackles for loss were second in all of college football, and what the Packers need more than anything right now is somebody on the edge who can disrupt an offense every single down.
Rashan Gary is good, but he's not a superstar. He'd benefit from someone like Green across from him, and we know Hafley could get all kinds of creative with an athletic combination of Green, Gary, Edgerrin Cooper and Quay Walker.
DT Osa Odighizuwa would help Packers' defensive line

The Dallas Cowboys had a terrible year which led to head coach Mike McCarthy basically ditching them, but lost in all of that was a solid season from fourth-year defensive lineman Osa Odighizuwa.
He notched 25 tackles, 4.5 sacks and a forced fumble, which is not bad at all for a former third-round pick. He has 13.5 sacks over four seasons, so he's undoubtedly the type of defensive lineman who can get after the quarterback.
That's exactly what the Packers need, and we know Jerry Jones is stingy in Dallas, so he very well could hit the open market and fill the Packers' need.