Beyond its starting trio, Green Bay returns 2021 fifth-round pick Shemar Jean-Charles (eight tackles in 14 games) and Kabion Ento, a converted college receiver who has spent two seasons on the Packers’ practice squad.
The Packers also signed fourth-year veteran Keisean Nixon, a special-teams stalwart who has experience playing both inside and outside on defense. He has 38 tackles and a pass deflection, with 273 career defensive snaps.
The Packers’ situation on the back end remains stable with safeties Adrian Amos and Darnell Savage returning for a fourth season together.
Amos has been regarded as one of the league’s more underrated defenders during his seven NFL seasons. The 6-foot, 214-pound safety has tallied 274 tackles, 18 passes defensed and six interceptions in 49 starts in Green Bay. He’s personified durability, having not missed a game since 2017.
The 24-year-old Savage’s ceiling remains as high as anybody’s on the roster, with his eight interceptions leading all Green Bay defenders since 2019.
The Packers did not tender a contract to safety Henry Black, the top reserve and dime cornerback for much of last season, but bring back 2020 seventh-round pick Vernon Scott, Shawn Davis and practice-squad holdover Innis Gaines.
After seeing action in 15 games as a rookie, Scott missed the early portion of last season with a hamstring injury and played just three games all season. Davis, a fifth-round pick by Indianapolis last season, signed to the practice squad on Sept. 21 before receiving a promotion to the active roster on Dec. 18.
The secondary has been a perennial focus for the Packers during Gutekunst’s four drafts as GM. Since 2018, Green Bay has selected seven defensive backs. Four (Alexander, Savage, Stokes and Josh Jackson) were drafted in the first two rounds.
The Packers have drafted at least one defensive back in 26 of their last 27 drafts, with the outlier coming in 2016.