What Jonathan Gannon's history tells us about how he wants to build the Packers defense

We look back at his defensive builds in Philadelphia and Arizona to find through lines in how the Packers new defensive coordinator constructs his defenses.

Brian Gutekunst isn’t going to change for a defensive coordinator. He didn’t change for Mike Pettine, never worried about how Joe Barry might be different, and when Jeff Hafley nixed the two-high, quarters approach in Green Bay, stuck to the long-standing Green Bay Packers approach to defensive players. Now that Jonathan Gannon has brought the Vic Fangio-tree defense (or something close to it) back to Green Bay, Gutekunst will resume doing what he’s been doing: not worrying much about scheme.

But Gutekunst has shown a willingness to listen to his coaches when it comes to areas on the roster they want to prioritize. In 2022, Barry clearly wanted to be able to play less dime personnel than the team had to play in 2021, so they drafted Quay Walker. The coaches wanted a three-technique who could penetrate and disrupt the backfield. Enter Devante Wyatt.

Walker and Wyatt still offered the type of premium athleticism Gutekunst and the Packers’ front office prize. They’re both big players for their positions with collegiate pedigree. They’re very much “Packers types.” But they fit the needs that the coaching staff established.

If there’s a way in which Gannon can influence the Packers’ draft, it will be there. What does he care about, and how does that overlay with the players currently on the roster?

We dug into the approach Gannon’s teams have taken to building his defense to identify five principles that will likely shape how Gutekunst and Co. approach this draft.