Javon Bullard is starting to look like one of the Green Bay Packers’ most valuable pieces on defense, and after the team’s overtime win over the New York Jets, one NFL analyst said the third-year DB has been playing at an “All Pro” level.
Green Bay’s 20-17 victory in Week 2 kept the Packers from falling to 0-2, and it came with more strong play from a defense that has already produced a few early standouts. Lukas Van Ness has been getting plenty of attention for his dominant stretch, but CBS Sports analyst Mike Renner pointed to Bullard as another defender who has taken a clear step forward.
“LVN isn’t the only Packers defenders who’s made a leap. 3rd-year DB Javon Bullard has looked like an All-Pro in the slot (when he’s not drawing flags),” the NFL analyst wrote.
Bullard backed up that praise against the Jets. He finished with seven tackles and two passes defensed in the overtime win, and Renner shared multiple clips of the performance as part of his assessment.
What makes Bullard so useful for Green Bay is the range he gives the defense. He usually works in the slot, but he can also slide to safety or play closer to the line of scrimmage. That flexibility gives the Packers more options when they line up with Xavier McKinney and Evan Williams around him.
The early returns have been encouraging for Green Bay’s young defenders, with Bullard and Van Ness both making their presence felt in the first two weeks. That kind of production could matter as the Packers wait for Micah Parsons to work his way back to full health. For now, the task is simple: keep stacking wins and stay in the NFC North race.
Next up is a Week 3 meeting with the Atlanta Falcons. The NFC matchup is set for 8:15 PM ET on September 24 at Lambeau Field.
In Other News...
Packers May Have Found Pass Rush Help At The Perfect Time
The pass rush has been one of Green Bays most watched areas early this season, and rookie edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton has started to give the defense a timely boost. Against the Jets, he put together a disruptive afternoon with six tackles, half a sack and two quarterback hits, the kind of activity that shows up on the stat sheet and in the pressure Washington? No, in the pressure he helped create on the opposing quarterback.
For a player taken 120th in the draft, that kind of early production is notable, especially when hes already ranking 15th among edge defenders in pass-rush win rate after two games. The Packers are always looking for help up front, and Dennis-Sutton has at least opened the door to a bigger role by outplaying several rookies selected ahead of him. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Secondary Just Lost Its Biggest Safety Net Before Packers Game
The Falcons defense took a significant hit this week when cornerback A.J. Terrell was placed on injured reserve after suffering a groin injury in a recent game. His absence comes with a real timing issue for Atlanta, too, because he now has to sit out at least four games, putting Week 7 as the earliest possible return. For a secondary that leans on him as its top coverage option, the loss changes the look of the group heading into a matchup that already had plenty of attention.
Atlanta filled the open roster spot by promoting defensive lineman Zach Harrison from the practice squad, but that move does not replace what Terrell gives the back end. For the Packers, it is the kind of development that can alter how a defense chooses to play on the perimeter and in the middle of the field, especially against an opponent that no longer has its biggest safety net available. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Suddenly Face A Receiver Problem Bigger Than Week 3
Jayden Reeds injury has turned a promising early-season stretch into a far more uneasy stretch for the Packers, with the receiver leaving Sundays game against the Jets on a stretcher after a neck injury. Matt LaFleur said Reed is back in Green Bay and going through tests, but the team still does not have a recovery timeline, which leaves Green Bay trying to steady its offense without one of its most dynamic targets.
The immediate concern is Week 3 against the Falcons, where Reed is expected to miss the game and the Packers may have to adjust on the fly. Beyond that, the bigger issue is how long Green Bay could be without him, because this is the kind of injury that can ripple through a passing game well past one Sunday. [Read more 🡒]