The Green Bay Packers were arguably the most disappointing team in football last year, and it all comes back to blowing leads nobody thought possible. This squad, despite trading for star defensive end Micah Parsons 10 days before the 2025 season began and having one of the NFL’s top rosters, somehow managed to go a remarkably unsatisfying 9-8-1 overall. They snagged the NFC’s No. 7 seed for a third straight year, only to absolutely melt down in the Wild Card round.
The Embarrassing Numbers Green Bay Can’t Outrun
Seriously, what happened? Green Bay blew a 21-3 halftime lead against arch-rival Chicago, gave up a mind-boggling 25 fourth-quarter points, and eventually suffered a shocking 31-27 loss. Josh Jacobs called it out, saying there’s “No way you should lose games in this league when you’re up that much.” The collapse didn’t start there, either. Green Bay began the year 9-3-1, then finished with five straight losses. They’re heading into 2026 with the league’s fourth-longest losing streak. This late-game implosion was absolutely the story of their entire 2025 campaign. They had double-digit leads in the final minutes against Chicago (twice!) and Cleveland, and somehow went 0-3 in those games. The odds of that happening? A staggering 1-in-250,000. Yet, they did it. Safety Javon Bullard summed it up: “That (expletive), it’s starting to get damn-near embarrassing.” It won’t get easier, either, with the team getting hit hard in free agency and having no first-round pick this year.
Devonte Wyatt’s Rollercoaster and the Road Ahead
And right in the middle of this mess is defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt, slotted at No. 9 on the “30 Most Important Packers” list heading into 2026. Last season was a brutal one for him physically. He started all 10 games he played before getting placed on injured reserve with a broken fibula and a torn ligament in his ankle. He even missed Weeks 6-7 because of a knee injury earlier in the year. Despite all that, Wyatt still finished with 27 tackles (15 solo) and ranked third on the team with four sacks. His six tackles for loss and seven quarterback hits both ranked fourth, which is wild considering he played only 33.84% of the snaps. He also added 16 pressures (fifth on the team) and two passes defensed. Now, his Pro Football Focus grade of 52.9 ranked 88th among 134 qualified interior defensive linemen. But here’s the kicker: his PFF pass-rush grade was a solid 71.4, good for 29th, while his run-defense grade was a dismal 38.7, ranking 118th. Talk about a mixed bag.
Wyatt, a first-round pick in 2022, spent most of his rookie season on the sidelines. After 13 games that year, he had just three pressures, zero sacks, and zero quarterback hits. But his final four games of 2022 showed a spark, with five pressures, 1.5 sacks, and three quarterback hits. That glimmer of potential was enough for Green Bay to let starters Dean Lowry and Jarran Reed walk, giving Wyatt an increased role. In 2023, he started proving why he was a first-round pick, posting 36 tackles (18 solo), 5.5 sacks, six tackles for a loss (tied for fourth on the team), and 11 quarterback hits (fourth on the team), plus a fumble recovery. He played 49.7% of the defensive snaps that season. In 2024, he was second on the Packers in sacks with 5.0.
Green Bay’s first training camp practice is July 29, and for Wyatt, it’s all about proving he can stay healthy and elevate his game, especially against the run. If the Packers are going to dig out of their self-dug hole and stop the embarrassment, they’re going to need a consistent, game-wrecking Devonte Wyatt on that defensive line.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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