GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — With Jordan Love still watching from the sidelines, the Packers defense continued its domination Wednesday in the third practice of training camp.
Packers backup quarterbacks threw four interceptions - including three from Sean Clifford, who is working with the starters in Love's absence.
Fourth-year cornerback Eric Stokes was responsible for two of of those four picks. After playing in only three games due to multiple injuries last season, Stokes is confident the Packers defense can change a longstanding narrative in 2024.
"We want to be remembered as one of the best defenses out there," Stokes said following Wednesday's practice.
"We don't want to be like 'oh, we're relying on the offense and all that stuff,'" he continued. "We want when people think about the Packers they think about our defense, not our offense."
"We want to make this like a defensive team," Packers defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt, who was Stokes' college teammate at Georgia, added. "Not like - everybody looking at our offense. We just want to make that step. When you look at the Packers, (you look at) defense."
There's one noticeable difference between this year's defense and last year's: energy.
Players credit new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley and his aggressive style.
"I definitely feel the confidence we've got," Wyatt said. "Everybody's on the same page, communicating and having fun."
"I think we just have a bunch of guys who are just hungry," reserve linebacker Kristian Welch, a graduate of Iola-Scandinavia High School, said. "Coming off last year you could kind of feel that there was a sense of not being satisfied."
"I think our group - and our team in general - is just hungry to get back to work and we'll just continue to work hard," Welch added.
The Packers defense is also encouraged by its balance. Through three days, the unit has found results through multiple avenues: a slew of sacks on a rainy Tuesday (including three from Rashan Gary in a span of four plays) and the four interceptions on Wednesday.
"D-line keeps doing exactly what they doing," Stokes said. "We've got to hold it up on the back end."
"Like they always say, 'just give us three seconds and we're going to get back there,'" Stokes added. "We just holding them up because we know that they're up there eating."
It's been impressive, but it's only three days.
As Gary noted following Tuesday's practice: results only matter once you get to September.
"It doesn't matter what you've done in practice. We got to bring it to the season," Gary said. "You have a great day, come out and bring it to the next day. Just being consistent and being critical on yourself."
After a day off of practice on Thursday, the team returns to Ray Nitschke Field on Friday. They are expected to practice in pads for the first time on Saturday.
