Myles Garrett is still with the Cleveland Browns after signing a historic deal, Chase Young never left the New Orleans Saints, and Super Bowl breakout star Josh Sweat signed with the Arizona Cardinals. Brian Gutekunst and the Green Bay Packers swung big on the first day of legal tampering this past week – just not at pass rusher.

I’m sure most of Packers fandom was sweating, thinking Green Bay would sit on their hands as the first few hours ticked by on Tuesday and the top free agents came off the board. Then, the news broke that guard Aaron Banks and cornerback Nate Hobbs had agreed to terms with the Packers, back-to-back, and all was well.

With those Day 1 signings, it was clear that Green Bay was serious about their sense of urgency and getting back to competing for championships – just as Gutekunst had promised at the end of the season. They filled two big holes, and now it was time to address the pass rush. Surely, one of the rumored targets would agree to join Green Bay any day, right?

Well, over a week later, there have been no additions to the defensive front. That’s okay, though, because Green Bay has a young pass rusher waiting to break out in his third year: Karl Brooks.

The former sixth-round pick from 2023 is about to enter his third professional season. I wrote about him entering his sophomore season during training camp. While he didn’t quite break out as expected, he still had impact moments – notably in Green Bay’s Wild Card loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. According to Pro Football Focus, he was the defense’s highest-rated player in that game, with an 86.8 grade. In just 19 total snaps, he produced three hurries on Jalen Hurts and a run stop.

Similarly, in the previous postseason against the San Francisco 49ers, Brooks played some of his best football. He was also PFF’s highest-graded defender in that game, earning a 90.7 and recording four hurries on just 16 total snaps. Two of his best pass-rushing performances have come against the past two NFC Super Bowl representatives – both teams with elite offensive lines. The fact that he plays his best against the best should be encouraging for the Packers.

One of Brooks’ greatest strengths coming out of college was his versatility – something the Packers love in their defensive linemen. He might be the most versatile chess piece at Jeff Hafley’s disposal on the current roster. With T.J. Slaton signed with the Cincinnati Bengals and no outside additions to the defensive line (besides whomever they might take in the draft), I envision Hafley moving Brooks up and down the line frequently to get the best matchups.

In college, Brooks primarily played defensive end, logging 1,115 snaps over his final two seasons. However, he only played 101 total snaps on the interior during that same span.

In the NFL, his snap distribution has been more balanced. In 2024, he saw more time at defensive end, similar to college. However, his interior snaps increased, totaling 147, compared to 295 at the edge. I expect an even closer split in 2025, with him lining up more frequently against centers and guards. His quick first step, active hands, and powerful bull rush could create a major mismatch in the A-gap – something the Packers should explore further.

After playing a part-time role in his first two seasons, Brooks is in line for a significant increase in playing time, regardless of who the Packers add at later point in the offseason. Last year, he played only 41% of Green Bay’s defensive snaps, up from 34% in 2023. Even with a modest uptick in playing time in 2024, Brooks ranked 25th among defensive tackles with 200-plus pass-rushing snaps in win rate. He also ranked 11th in PFF’s pass-rushing productivity metric, which measures sacks, hits, and hurries per pass-rushing snap. That productivity suggests he’s ready for an expanded role in rushing the passer.

More snaps for Brooks should also help the Packers generate much-needed interior pressure. If you need proof of how crucial internal pressure can be, look no further than the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis consistently wreak havoc along the interior defensive line. Brooks might be Green Bay’s best bet to create that disruption.

When Green Bay drafted Devonte Wyatt in the first round, they likely envisioned him filling that dominant interior rusher role, but injuries and inconsistency have held him back. Meanwhile, Kenny Clark is coming off arguably his worst season as a pro, recording just one sack despite leading the defensive line in snaps. Though he won’t turn 30 until October, Clark has accumulated significant wear and tear after entering the league at just 20.

Of course, signing a big-name free agent to solve Green Bay’s pass-rushing woes would have been nice. In reality, with a draft-and-develop organization like the Packers, the solution was always more likely to come from within. Gutekunst even hinted at this in his end-of-season press conference. When asked about the talent of his defensive line, he responded, “We have a really good group in that room.”

He made it clear that he expects those players to improve going into next season to help take the pass rush to another level. With little help coming in the form of reinforcements, Karl Brooks will be a big part of that plan. Year 3 is the season he breaks out and becomes an impact pass rusher.