After a gut-punch of a Wild Card loss to the rival Bears, the Green Bay Packers wasted no time turning the page and diving into their offseason to-do list. The front office made some early noise - not with sweeping changes, but by doubling down on the current regime. Head coach Matt LaFleur, GM Brian Gutekunst, and executive VP Russ Ball all received contract extensions, signaling a vote of confidence from ownership despite the playoff exit.
But the biggest shakeup came on the defensive side. With Jeff Hafley off to take the reins in Miami, the Packers tapped former Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon to run the defense. Gannon, who made his name as a defensive coordinator in Philadelphia before his stint in Arizona, brings a new vision - and perhaps a new direction - for a defense that needs to take a step forward.
Now that the coaching staff is locked in, attention turns to the roster - and there’s no shortage of decisions ahead. Nearly 25 players are headed toward some form of free agency, and one name that stands out is linebacker Quay Walker.
Walker, a 2022 first-round pick, had a contract year that didn’t exactly scream “pay me.” The Packers had already declined his fifth-year option last offseason, and while Gutekunst had expressed interest in working out a long-term deal, that never materialized. Based on Walker’s 2025 performance, it’s not hard to see why.
The numbers tell the story. His overall PFF grade of 48.5 placed him 74th among 88 qualified linebackers.
His pass-rush grade? 62.0 - middle of the pack.
Run defense? A 54.5 mark that again ranked 74th.
And in coverage, he graded out at 44.9, which is near the bottom of the list. In short, it was a tough season at the worst possible time for Walker, and the Packers could very well decide to move on.
If they do, there’s a name that makes a lot of sense as a potential replacement - and it’s one that Jonathan Gannon knows well: Nakobe Dean.
Dean, Walker’s former teammate at Georgia, was drafted by the Eagles in the third round of the 2022 draft - back when Gannon was still running Philly’s defense. Dean came into the league with serious credentials: a unanimous All-American, Butkus Award winner, and the heartbeat of that dominant Georgia defense.
Injuries have been the main hurdle for Dean in the NFL. He missed 12 games in 2023 and another seven this past season.
That’s not nothing - durability is a real concern. But when he’s healthy, Dean has flashed the kind of impact that makes you take notice.
In 2024, during the Eagles’ Super Bowl run, Dean posted a 75.3 overall PFF grade - 12th among 83 linebackers. His pass-rush grade came in at 82.5 (8th), and his run-defense grade wasn’t far behind at 80.4 (16th). He was flying around the field, making plays at every level.
This past season, even with the injury setbacks, Dean still managed to notch a career-high 4.0 sacks. His pass-rush grade?
A staggering 92.3 - third-best among all linebackers. That kind of pressure off the edge could be invaluable for a Packers defense that may be without star rusher Micah Parsons for a significant chunk of 2026 as he recovers from a torn ACL.
Dean also brings more to the table in coverage than Walker, which matters in Gannon’s scheme. Gannon’s defenses have always leaned on versatility and speed at linebacker - traits Dean brings in spades. He’s a natural fit for what the new coordinator wants to do, and he’s already thrived under Gannon’s watch once before.
Financially, Dean might be more affordable than you'd expect. Spotrac projects his next contract at four years, $31.59 million - a number that reflects his upside but also bakes in the injury risk. For a team looking to upgrade at linebacker without breaking the bank, that’s a price point worth considering.
The Packers have a lot of decisions to make this offseason, but the potential swap of Quay Walker for Nakobe Dean could be more than just a personnel move - it could be a statement about the kind of defense Gannon wants to build in Green Bay. Faster.
Smarter. More aggressive.
And if Dean can stay healthy, he might just be the spark this unit needs.