Most people don’t like change. They want to wake up in the morning, have the same breakfast, watch the same show, read the same newspaper, and go about their normal day.

However, change is coming to the Green Bay Packers in the form of defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon. What can he do to maximize a Packers defense that Jeff Hafley left in good standing?

Hafley greatly improved Green Bay’s defense over the last two years. And one of the hallmarks of his system was a lack of blitzing. Hafley’s defense was 31st in blitz percentage in his first year at the helm and 24th this past season. It’s also worth noting that Green Bay’s defense hovered around 28th and 29th in that category before the season-ending injury to Micah Parsons. Once Parsons went down, Hafley adjusted by dialing up the blitz far more often.

Many in Packerland wanted to see a coordinator with a more aggressive, blitz-heavy approach. But that isn’t how Gannon operated during his two years as the Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive coordinator.

In 2021, Gannon’s defense was 31st in blitz rate at 17.4%. Only the Las Vegas Raiders blitzed less frequently that year. In Gannon’s second and final year with the Eagles, it ticked up to 18th.

Jonathan Gannon had a ton of talent to work with on those defenses, and in most cases, he believed the best way to succeed was to rush four. Hafley had those same principles. Still, to maximize this defense going forward, most Packers fans want to see him dial up more blitzes.

It wasn’t hard to see how different the defense looked rushing four with Parsons compared to rushing four without him. Even when Parsons returns to the fold in 2026, why not adopt a more aggressive approach? It might not be in Gannon’s makeup now, but that doesn’t mean it has to stay that way.

Many have grown frustrated with Green Bay’s defense, which constantly threatens disaster with its bend-don’t-break style. Gannon has an opportunity to embrace his aggressiveness and take the defense to another level.

The Packers also struggled with takeaways last season. The defense forced just 14 turnovers all season, tied for fourth-fewest in the NFL.

The cornerback room was — and still is — lacking a ball hawk. However, the safety group is led by the ever-opportunistic Xavier McKinney and Evan Williams. Turnovers make for a difficult, sometimes fickle trend to track. A lot can change, year-over-year. It’s not necessarily the most reliable statistic. However, Green Bay shouldn’t be in the NFL cellar.

Gannon’s defense in 2021 finished tied for the fifth-fewest turnovers forced with 16. The following year, it was way better; the Eagles finished tied for the fourth-most with 27. Again, that was how big the difference was from one year to the next, which highlights how misleading that metric can be. But if Gannon can just get Green Bay to the middle of the pack with their takeaway numbers, it would be a significant success.

Gannon may need Gutekunst to bring in at least one new starting-caliber cornerback via the draft or free agency (probably the draft) to get things revved up.

Blitzing more and putting players in advantageous spots to increase takeaways are a good starting point. Continuing to develop and find ways to unlock Edgerrin Cooper and other younger talent will also be paramount.

Jonathan Gannon isn’t inheriting an empty cupboard. Far from it. He’s stepping into what ESPN ranked as the top defensive coordinator opening available. Just like he had in Philadelphia, there’s plenty of talent at his disposal. It will be his job to take it to the next level. Perhaps stepping slightly out of his comfort zone in pursuit of more takeaways and quarterback pressure can help him do just that.