The Green Bay Packers are wasting no time reshaping their defensive identity under new coordinator Jonathan Gannon. Just days into his tenure, Gannon is already building out his staff-and he’s bringing in a familiar face to help retool the Packers’ secondary and pass defense: Bobby Babich.
Babich, 42, is set to join Green Bay as the team’s defensive pass game coordinator and secondary coach, a move first reported Wednesday morning. He brings with him nearly a decade of experience from Buffalo, where he climbed the ranks from assistant defensive backs coach to safeties coach, linebackers coach, and eventually defensive coordinator.
This hire isn’t just about scheme-it’s about relationships, and Babich’s connection to players he coached in Buffalo could have ripple effects in free agency. One name that jumps off the page?
Defensive end A.J. Epenesa.
Epenesa is set to hit the open market in March, and the timing couldn’t be more intriguing. He thrived under Babich’s watch in Buffalo, and with Green Bay in need of reinforcements up front, the fit feels natural.
The Packers had some bright spots defensively last season, especially with Micah Parsons anchoring the front seven, but the pass rush didn’t quite live up to expectations. The team finished with just 36 sacks-tied for the 12th-fewest in the league.
Outside of Parsons (12.5 sacks) and Rashan Gary (7.5), no other Packer had more than four.
That’s not going to cut it in a loaded NFC, especially with quarterbacks like Jalen Hurts, Brock Purdy, and Dak Prescott lurking in the playoff picture. The Packers need more juice off the edge, and Epenesa could be the kind of savvy, cost-effective signing that helps elevate the unit.
While Epenesa’s 2025 numbers don’t jump off the stat sheet-17 solo tackles, four passes defended, 2.5 sacks, and two interceptions in 16 games (only two starts)-the underlying metrics tell a different story. He generated 28 pressures this past season, according to Pro Football Focus, which actually surpassed his 2024 total of 22, despite playing 152 fewer pass-rushing snaps. That’s efficiency.
And let’s not forget his track record. Before this past season, Epenesa had stacked three straight years with at least six sacks. He’s shown he can consistently get home, and with the right usage, he could get back to that level-or better.
There’s also a schematic angle here that Gannon will surely be eyeing. Epenesa’s size-6'6", 260 pounds-is eerily similar to Josh Sweat, who just posted a career-high 12.0 sacks under Gannon’s guidance in Arizona. If Gannon sees Epenesa as a similar mold, this could be more than just a depth signing-it could be a breakout waiting to happen.
Of course, money matters. Spotrac projects Epenesa’s next deal to land around $9.2 million per year.
The Packers are currently more than $3.4 million over the cap, but that’s not an insurmountable hurdle. General manager Brian Gutekunst has tools at his disposal-restructuring deals, trimming cap-heavy contracts-to make room for the right pieces.
And make no mistake: Epenesa could be one of those pieces. With Gary’s future uncertain and Devonte Wyatt still recovering, the Packers can’t afford to roll into next season with question marks along the edge.
Adding a veteran who knows Babich’s system, brings versatility, and still has upside? That’s the kind of move that can stabilize a defense and give Gannon a reliable weapon in his first year at the helm.
The Babich hire is already making waves. If it leads to Epenesa joining the fold, it could mark a pivotal step in Green Bay’s defensive evolution.