The Packers’ defense has spent plenty of this season drawing attention for what’s happening up front, but October put the spotlight somewhere else: the back end. Green Bay’s young secondary just picked up a pair of major NFL honors, with safety Evan Williams earning NFC Defensive Player of the Month and cornerback Brandon Cisse taking home NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month.
Those awards came after a strong October for Green Bay, which won four of its five games. Williams and Cisse were central to that run, and the numbers from the month back up the recognition.
Williams put himself in rare company. Per the NFL, he became only the third safety since 2000 to post at least 40 tackles and three forced turnovers in a single month, and the first to do it in 15 years. He’s already one of the league’s top tacklers this season, and PFF has graded him as the best safety in football through eight weeks.
Cisse’s month was just as eye-catching in its own way. He became the first Packers cornerback to win Defensive Rookie of the Month since Damarious Randall in 2015, and he did it with a stat line that jumped off the page: 21 tackles, seven passes defended, two tackles for loss, a sack and an interception. The 52nd overall pick in this year’s draft was also the only defensive back in October with at least 20 tackles and a pick.
Together, Williams and Cisse have helped turn Green Bay’s secondary into one of the team’s biggest strengths. That’s a notable development in Jonathan Gannon’s first year as defensive coordinator, especially with so much of the early buzz around the defense focused on the pass rush.
And to be fair, the front has earned that attention. Rookie standout Dani Dennis-Sutton and the 13th overall pick in 2023, Lukas Van Ness, have helped Green Bay build one of the league’s best pass-rushing groups while the team waits for Micah Parsons to return.
Still, the secondary has been just as important to the overall picture. It hasn’t been flawless every week, but it has consistently made plays on the ball and limited damage through the air. Green Bay ranks third in yards per completion, third in opposing passer rating and sixth in passing yards allowed.
There were real questions about how a young group would handle a new scheme under Gannon. Those concerns have faded quickly. His system has let these defensive backs play fast, physical and with the kind of upside that changes games.
Williams and Cisse are leading that charge, but they’re not doing it alone. All pro safety Javier McKinney remains one of the league’s best, and Javon Bullard has carved out his place as a high-impact starter.
The Packers may not have postseason proof yet from this group, but the energy is obvious. They play with an edge, they play the right way, and right now they’re giving Green Bay exactly what it needs on the back end.
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