5 Greatest Defensive Players in Packers History

The Green Bay Packers franchise has won nine League Championships and four Super Bowls, making them one of the greatest football franchises of all-time. They've won their titles on both sides of the football, and some of the most legendary Packers have been defensive superstars.

There are many greats that won't make this list, but these five make the list of top Packers defensive players ever.

5. Willie Davis, DE (1960-69)

Being that they played different positions, it really is tough to separate the top few defensive stars, but Willie Davis is definitely one of them. The defensive end was a part of five Packers championships during his nine seasons. When talking personal achievement, Davis was a five-time Pro Bowler and five-time First-Team All-Pro with 22 fumbles recovered. He was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame and the NFL Hall of Fame, and was also a member of the 1960's All-Decade Team.

4. Herb Adderley, CB (1961-69)

A teammate of Davis throughout the five championships, Adderley was a First-Team All-Pro four times and a Pro Bowler five times during this span. His 39 Green Bay interceptions and plus-124 approximate value of Pro Football reference rank towards the top of the franchise (third and fourth respectively). He is not only a member of the NFL 1960's All-Decade Team, but the Packers Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

3. Reggie White, DE (1993-98)

While you might say Reggie White was the better NFL player than some of the names ranked above him, he was not the better Packer. White split his career with the Philadelphia Eagles, which hurts him in this debate. Even so, he made the Pro Bowl every season with the Packers and was First-Team All-Pro twice. White won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award once with Green Bay, and twice overall. He is a member of all the recent NFL Anniversary Teams, and his number 92 is retired with the Packers as a member of their Hall of Fame. With 198 sacks in his career, White is also a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

2. Willie Wood, S (1960-71)

Willie Wood is the top rated Packers defender by approximate value to the franchise (according to Pro Football Reference). He beats out Adderley head to head in interceptions as well, falling second on the all-time list only to Bobby Dillon. The safety was also a five-time NFL Champion, but he was a eight-time Pro Bowl player and five-time First-Team All-Pro. He is now a part of the Green Bay Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame, as well as the 1960's NFL All-Decade Team.

1. Ray Nitschke, MLB (1958-72)

A career Packer and teammate of Adderley and Wood, Ray Nitschke played middle linebacker for Green Bay during their most impressive era. He is a five-time NFL Champion and two-time First-Team All-Pro player. Recognized by the NFL as a member of the 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams (plus the 1960's All-Decade Team), Nitschke was more the heart and soul of Green Bay's defense, and although his personal achievements were less notable, he anchored the unit. His number 66 was retired and he is now a member of the Packers Hall of Fame and NFL Hall of Fame, making him the best Green Bay defensive player of all-time.

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Michael Obermuller is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Michael Obermuller also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username king_mizzard. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.