Coach Matt LaFleur Can’t Believe His Eyes as an Unknown Player Replaces Clark and Turns the Packers’ Defense into a Fortress!
Coach Matt LaFleur Can’t Believe His Eyes as an Unknown Player Replaces Clark and Turns the Packers’ Defense into a Fortress!
When Kenny Clark left the Green Bay Packers to join the Dallas Cowboys during the offseason, many fans feared the Packers’ defense would collapse. Clark wasn’t just a pillar—he was the heart of the defensive line, commanding the middle where real battles are decided. Yet, amidst the wave of doubts, a young name is forcing everyone to take notice: Colby Wooden.
Wooden, only 24 years old and a fourth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, has unexpectedly emerged as the piece the Packers didn’t know they needed. In the 27–23 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 7, he delivered the best game of his career—recording 6 tackles, 3 pressures, 1 tackle for loss, and earning a PFF grade of 86.0, second only to superstar Micah Parsons (92.6).
Wooden’s endurance and game-reading ability helped Green Bay’s defense maintain relentless pressure on Jacoby Brissett. In a pivotal third-quarter play, it was Wooden’s pressure that forced Brissett off his spot, setting up Rashan Gary for a game-changing strip sack.
What left Coach Matt LaFleur “stunned” wasn’t just the stats but how Wooden matured so rapidly in just a few weeks. In the post-game press conference, LaFleur shared with a tone of pride:
“Honestly, I didn’t expect him to progress this quickly. Colby plays with the poise of a veteran. He’s not just filling Clark’s shoes—he’s carving out his own legacy.”
When Kenny Clark departed, the Packers lost a leader, but LaFleur never imagined the replacement would arrive so soon and so powerfully. Wooden isn’t flashy or loud—but every tackle, every push in the trenches embodies true “Packers football”: resilient, relentless, and precise.
Wooden has also earned the respect of his teammates. Rashan Gary said after the game:
“Colby plays like he’s been in the NFL for five years. He knows his spot, knows his role, and knows when to explode.”
Behind the spotlight of Parsons or Gary, Wooden is quietly building the foundation for a new generation of Packers defense at Lambeau Field. And what impresses LaFleur most is his relentless drive to learn. After every game, Wooden is the last to leave the film room, meticulously analyzing every collision.
Green Bay once lost Kenny Clark—an icon. But now, they’re witnessing a young, humble, yet explosive Colby Wooden, ready to write a new chapter for the Packers’ defense. And with his current form, it’s no surprise that Matt LaFleur had to admit:
“He’s not just Clark’s replacement. He’s our future.”
May You Like









