PACKERS’ COLBY WOODEN PUTS DEFENSIVE END SPECULATION TO REST
Many of the Green Bay Packers’ rookies in 2023 had mid- or late-season breakouts as the Packers made the push to the playoffs. One who had a quiet first season in the NFL, though, was fourth-round defensive lineman Colby Wooden — who played 3-4 defensive end for the team.
After playing 49 and 44 percent of the team’s defensive snaps in Week 1 and 2, respectively, Wooden only cracked over 26 percent of the team’s defensive snaps in one remaining game for the 2023 season. Initially, he began last season as Joe Barry’s fourth interior defensive lineman, a position he then lost to Karl Brooks after the Packers’ Week 2 loss to the Atlanta Falcons — a game in which Wooden was often targeted in the ground game.
With the switch from Barry’s 3-4 defense to Jeff Hafley’s 4-3 defense, some Green Bay fans were wondering whether or not Wooden would be moved to defensive end, where the Packers only return three healthy contributors, instead of having him play defensive tackle, where Wooden would likely start the season as the squad’s fifth option.
On Wednesday, the Packers hosted a pre-draft party, which included Wooden as an interview subject. After stating that he believed that he would be drafted by the Los Angeles Rams, Wooden mentioned that he played last season at 278 pounds but has gained weight up to 290 pounds this offseason. If you’re trying to make sense of Green Bay’s depth chart going into the draft, you can now pencil Wooden firmly in as a defensive tackle.
Between Wooden’s comments and the Packers’ 2024 roster update, virtually every 3-4 defensive lineman has been listed as a 4-3 defensive tackle, every 3-4 outside linebacker has been listed as a 4-3 defensive end and every 3-4 inside linebacker has been listed as a 4-3 linebacker. The only exception is now defensive end Arron Mosby, who was previously listed as a 3-4 inside linebacker by the team. Mosby, a 2023 practice squad player, was a hybrid linebacker who has contributed more on special teams in the NFL than he has on defense.
If you want a final count on the Packers’ front seven players, here’s your last look before Green Bay is on the clock on Thursday:
Packers front seven
- Defensive Linemen (EDGE, 10): Desline Alexandre, Keshawn Banks, Brenton Cox Jr., Kingsley Enagbare, Rashan Gary, Deandre Johnson, Arron Mosby, Kenneth Odumegwu, Preston Smith and Lukas Van Ness
- Defensive Linemen (iDL, 6): Karl Brooks, Kenny Clark, Jonathan Ford, T.J. Slaton, Colby Wooden and Devonte Wyatt
- Linebackers (5): Isaiah McDuffie, Quay Walker, Kristian Welch, Eric Wilson and Christian Young