Evan Williams has quietly turned from an overlooked pick to one of the Packers’ elite defensive stars. Now, his third NFL season brings a very unique kind of pressure. Williams already showed what he can do last season.
The next question is whether he can turn that incredible season into a bigger role under new DC Jonathan Gannon.
Evan Williams Has More To Prove As Green Bay Changes Its Defense
Clubhouse Live with Green Bay Packers safety Evan Williams in the Fox Club at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute, Wisconsin on Monday, November 3, 2025.
Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
Evan Williams gave the Packers plenty to believe in last season. He started 15 of 16 games and finished with 100 tackles, three interceptions and five passes defended. His three picks led Green Bay in 2025.
That was a noticeable growth from his rookie year. Williams played 13 games in 2024 and recorded 49 tackles, one interception and three passes defended. And, above all, he has also earned PFWA All-Rookie Team honors giving the Packers an early sign that their fourth-round gamble could pay off.
Then his role eventually grew. Per Packers Wire, Williams amazingly doubled his defensive snaps from 533 as a rookie to 979 in 2025. His work around the line of scrimmage also increased sharply. He played 303 snaps in the box last season, compared with just 91 in 2024.
That change helped turn him into a much bigger factor against the run. Williams also made his presence felt in coverage. He intercepted Jared Goff in Week 1 and later picked off Jameis Winston during Green Bay’s late-season win over the Giants. His passer rating dropped from 99.5 as a rookie to 78.9 in 2025, according to the July 29 Packers Wire report.
Now comes the interesting part. Jonathan Gannon has taken over the Packers’ defense, and his approach could give Williams even more freedom. Packers.com reported on June 22, 2026, that Williams and Xavier McKinney spent the offseason building chemistry in Gannon’s system. McKinney said their partnership could reach its “peak performance” in 2026.
That is important because Williams has already shown he can tackle, cover and find the football. Gannon now has another versatile safety to move around the defense. But there is still room to improve. The star safety picked up five penalties in 2025 after committing none as a rookie. But that is a fixable problem.
The Packers do not need Williams to become someone else. They need him to build on what he already showed. If he does, his third season could be the one that takes Evan Williams from a promising Packers draft find to a genuine centerpiece of Green Bay’s defense.
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