With Devonte Wyatt not expected to be available for Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams, the Green Bay Packers will be adding a fresh face to their defensive line.
Call it the reintroduction of defensive tackle Colby Wooden.
A fourth-round pick last year, Wooden played in all 17 games and averaged 15 snaps per game as a rookie. He wound up fifth in a five-man rotation in the old 3-4 scheme and was fifth in a four-man rotation coming out of training camp.
Thus, Wooden has been the odd man out to start this season. He played two snaps on special teams in Week 1 and was inactive the last three games.
With Wyatt sustaining an ankle injury during the fourth quarter against the Vikings on Sunday and not practicing to start this week, Wooden figures to get his first snaps on defense this season at the Rams.
A huge smile flashed across Wooden’s face at the mere thought of it.
“Man, you just get a chance to play football again, bro,” Wooden said. “Being on the sideline, you miss that. You miss that camaraderie being out there with your brothers. Yeah, I’m excited, but it’s different when you’re out there playing with them, lining up, suiting up with them. For me, it’s going to be exciting. I’m playing football again.”
Wooden spent extra time in the weight room this offseason, packing on about 15 additional pounds of muscle to get ready for his role in Jeff Hafley’s 4-3 scheme. He worked behind Kenny Clark, Wyatt, TJ Slaton and Karl Brooks at defensive tackle and showed during training camp that he could contribute at defensive end, as well.
Wooden had a good preseason – he had one sack and led the defensive line with nine tackles – but good wasn’t good enough. He wouldn’t use the word “frustrating” to discuss the start of this season, though.
“I’d just say it’s my turn to learn,” he said. “Everybody’s got a role to play on this team, no matter how small. For me, my role has been give the offense a great look, and that’s what I’ve been doing. Coach LaFleur’s been telling me to stay prepared, stay ready, and that’s what I’ve been doing. I’m excited to get out there and play football.”
While he might not have needed external motivation, Wooden is thankful for LaFleur’s support.
“You definitely appreciate your head coach instilling confidence in you, telling you to stay ready,” Wooden said. “He knows. Obviously, he understands that I went from playing to not playing as much. For me, I’ve got to keep my head down, keep working. It helps when you’ve got people in your corner who tell you to keep going, just play football.”
Wooden, a three-year starter at Auburn, hasn’t been banished to the sideline since his redshirt freshman season in 2019.
“I took the same approach that I took back then,” he said. “They believe in me, they see something. I wouldn’t be here if they didn’t. Just get better. That’s all I can do.”
With that mindset and with the support of the coaches, Wooden said it hasn’t been hard to stay motivated the past few weeks.
“For me, I don’t let negative thoughts get in my head because the second you start getting, ‘Oh, woe is me,’” Wooden said, “because, like you said, D-Wy went down. Now it’s my chance to step up. I’ve got to step up and do my job.”
Losing Wyatt will be a blow to the defense. The coaches thought he might be the biggest beneficiary in the schematic change, and he hasn’t disappointed. He leads the team with three sacks and six tackles for losses.
Of the 100 defensive tackles with at least 46 pass-rushing opportunities, Wyatt ranks 13th in ProFootballFocus.com’s pass-rushing productivity, which measures sacks, hits and hurries per pass-rushing snap.
“Devonte Wyatt, his pass-rush productivity this year has been at a good clip, but Colby has those same type of traits,” defensive line coach Jason Rebrovich said. “He’s quick, he’s fast, he’s mobile, he can play both interior and a three-technique, and he’s played some D-end before in the past.
“So, I think it’s a great opportunity for him, it’s a great opportunity for us to give another guy another fresh role into the game. So, I think he’s looking forward to it, I’m looking forward to it and I think our D-line’s looking forward to it.”
Wooden is looking forward to it more than anyone. With fresh legs and plenty of hunger, he is eager to show what he can do.
Again.
“I’m excited to suit up and play football again, bro,” he said. “From the second I line up, you’re going to get everything I’ve got.”
