The Packers have another defensive standout earning league-wide recognition, and this time it’s safety Evan Williams.
Green Bay’s star safety was named NFC Defensive Player of the Month after a huge October that featured 41 total tackles, four passes defended, two interceptions, a fumble recovery and a sack. It’s the latest sign that Williams is becoming a force in his first season working under defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon.
Williams has been a difference-maker since Green Bay picked him in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. As a rookie, he posted 49 total tackles, a tackle for loss, three pass deflections, an interception and a forced fumble. He took another leap in 2025, finishing with 100 total tackles, four tackles for loss, five pass deflections, three interceptions and a fumble recovery.
His 2026 season has pushed him into another tier. Through the year so far, Williams has 71 total tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, six pass deflections, two interceptions and a fumble recovery. He’s been a major reason Green Bay’s defense has stayed at an elite level even without superstar pass rusher Micah Parsons on the field while he recovers from a torn ACL.
The Packers have also been missing star linebacker Edgerrin Cooper for most of the season after he tore his Achilles tendon against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Gannon has helped get the most out of the talent around him, and Williams has flourished as part of an elite tandem with Xavier McKinney.
Parsons is getting closer to a return, too. The 27-year-old has gone back to practice and could be back by late November. In his first season with Green Bay in 2025, he put up 41 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, a pass deflection and two forced fumbles.
That performance earned Parsons All-Pro honors and a third-place finish in Defensive Player of the Year voting, all despite missing the final three games. It also reinforced why the Packers paid such a steep price, sending two first-round picks to the Dallas Cowboys to land him.
For now, though, Williams remains central to everything Green Bay is doing on defense. He’ll be a key piece again on Sunday against the New England Patriots, who represented the AFC in the Super Bowl last season.
In Other News...
Jordan Love Is At The Center Of A Heated NFC North Debate
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Jordan Loves Latest Joke Will Hit Home For Frustrated Packers Fans
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Packers Kicking Problem Just Put Matt LaFleur In A Tough Spot
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Matt LaFleur addressed the situation in a recent media availability and made it clear the Packers are sticking with Smack for now. The coach said the team appreciates his resilience, a notable vote of confidence for a player who has still connected on 11 of 16 field goals and 16 of 19 extra points, even as the margin for error keeps shrinking. [Read more 🡒]