Kingsley Enagbare’s Breakout Season Puts Packers at a Crossroads
Kingsley Enagbare picked the perfect time to have his breakout season. After three relatively quiet years in Green Bay, the 2025 campaign saw the edge rusher finally flash the kind of impact play the Packers had been hoping for since drafting him. And now, just as he’s hitting free agency, his stock is rising-and so are the stakes for Green Bay.
With injuries piling up across the Packers’ defense this past season, Enagbare stepped up in a big way. He matched his career high in total tackles (39), added a pair of sacks, and notched seven stuffs-those key run stops that don’t always show up in highlight reels but make a big difference on the field. His performance in a December 7 win over the Bears was a standout: four solo tackles, a sack, and a stuff in a game where the defense needed every bit of juice it could get.
But now comes the hard part for Green Bay. Enagbare is set to hit the open market, and while he’s given the team plenty of reasons to consider bringing him back, it won’t come cheap.
His emergence couldn’t have been better timed-for him, at least. For the Packers, it means negotiating with a player whose value is trending upward at a time when their defense is in flux.
One complicating factor? Jacksonville.
The Jaguars, who just confirmed that both offensive coordinator Grant Udinski and defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile will return next season, could be a team to watch in the Enagbare sweepstakes. Campanile, notably, was Green Bay’s linebackers coach in 2024 and knows Enagbare’s game well.
Jacksonville's pass rush finished 27th in the league with just 32 sacks-an area that clearly needs addressing. Don’t be surprised if Campanile makes a push to bring a familiar face to bolster his front seven.
Despite a middling 63.6 overall grade from Pro Football Focus-ranking him 71st among 115 qualified edge defenders-Enagbare’s tape tells a more complete story. He played 468 snaps this season, good for 71st out of 206 edge defenders, and proved to be a reliable presence in a defense that battled through injuries and inconsistency. His ability to rise to the occasion when the Packers needed him most is what’s turning heads around the league.
And while PFF grades offer a helpful snapshot, they don’t always capture the nuance of a player’s role or the context of his performance. Enagbare may not have lit up the stat sheet every week, but when the Packers needed someone to step into a bigger role-especially as Rashan Gary’s production dipped late in the season-he answered the call.
Meanwhile, Green Bay is undergoing some changes on the defensive side. With Jonathan Gannon stepping in as the new defensive coordinator-replacing Jeff Hafley, who left to become the head coach of the Miami Dolphins-the Packers are in the early stages of reshaping their identity on that side of the ball.
Gannon, who brings head coaching experience from Arizona, could look to leverage his network to bring in reinforcements. But keeping Enagbare in the fold would be a smart place to start.
Of course, it won’t be simple. Jacksonville isn’t the only team looking for help off the edge, but they’re a particularly intriguing suitor.
Despite allowing the eighth-fewest points in the league this season (19.8 PPG), the Jaguars struggled to generate pressure. That weakness was exposed in their wild-card loss to the Bills, where they managed just one sack against an offensive line that had allowed 40 during the regular season.
That kind of postseason letdown tends to trigger some aggressive offseason moves. And with Campanile back in place, Jacksonville could make a strong push for Enagbare, especially given their familiarity and the clear need.
For the Packers, it’s decision time. Enagbare may not be a household name just yet, but he’s shown he can be a difference-maker.
And in a league where pass rushers are at a premium, that makes him a valuable commodity. Green Bay has to weigh the cost of keeping him against the risk of letting him walk-possibly to a conference rival that’s eager to beef up its front.
Enagbare’s return isn’t guaranteed. But if the Packers want to stabilize a defense that’s been through the wringer, retaining one of their most improved players from 2025 would be a strong first step.