The Most Important Packers: No. 28 - Javon Bullard
Green Bay Packers defensive back Javon Bullard played both safety and slot corner during his rookie ... More season,
Getty ImagesThe Green Bay Packers went 11-6 last season, sweeping the NFC West and the AFC South along the way.
Overall, though, no one in the building was happy.
The Packers failed to build on their terrific finish to the 2023 campaign, settled for the No. 7 seed in the NFC playoffs, and lost a Wild Card game to eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia.
Afterwards, general manager Brian Gutekunst turned up the heat on everybody in the building.
“We need to continue to ramp up our sense of urgency,” Gutekunst said. “I think it’s time we started competing for championships.”
Those are fair expectations.
The Packers return 20 of 22 starters, and appear to have upgraded the roster via free agency and the draft. With several third and fourth year players trending upward, Green Bay should be poised to make a move.
“I think they’re ready,” Gutekunst said.
Now, it’s time for the Packers to prove their G.M. right.
Green Bay’s first training camp practice is July 23. Between now and then I will count down the ‘30 Most Important Packers’ heading into the 2025 campaign.
At No. 28 is safety/slot corner Javon Bullard.
Bullard began the season starting opposite Xavier McKinney at safety, then moved to slot corner in mid-October after the emergence of fellow rookie Evan Williams.
Bullard played primarily in the slot the rest of the season, but did go back to safety when Williams and later Zayne Anderson were both injured.
“I just think he's got so much versatility and value, moving him around all over the place — whether it's nickel, dime, safety, getting him closer to the ball, blitzing him, getting him involved in the run game, he's got coverage ability,” Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley said. “He's going to be a guy that you can do so many things with down the road once he really has a great grasp and feel for everything.”
Bullard finished the year starting 11 of the 15 games he played.
He was fourth on the team with 85 tackles, but had a concerning number of missed tackles (10). Big plays were also missing from Bullard’s game, as he finished with zero interceptions, no sacks, no forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
Quarterbacks had a 121.4 passer rating throwing at Bullard. And according to Pro Football Focus, his coverage grade of 46.9 ranked 141st out of 171 safeties.
Bullard missed Weeks 15-16 with an ankle injury, but played well down the stretch, highlighted by a career-best 11-tackle performance against Minnesota in Week 17.
Bullard, a second round draft pick in 2024, did a little bit of everything during his collegiate career at Georgia.
Bullard played mostly slot corner in 2022 when the Bulldogs won the national championship. He had 3.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss that season, and was named Defensive MVP of the 2022 national championship game
The Bulldogs moved Bullard to safety in 2023 where he finished with career highs in tackles (56) and passes defensed (seven). He was also voted the top safety at the Senior Bowl.
While most teams viewed Bullard as strictly a safety, the Packers liked his versatility and believed he could play slot corner at the next level.
It’s tough to gauge exactly where Bullard fits in the pecking order right now.
Evan Williams passed Bullard at safety last season and was later named to the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA) All-Rookie team.
Green Bay’s cornerback trio of Keisean Nixon, Nate Hobbs and Carrington Valentine could also make it tough for Bullard to win the slot corner job.
If Bullard’s going to have a major role in the defense again, he’ll need to prove that his coverage skills have improved and missed tackles will no longer be a problem.
“We knew with Javon he had the positional flex, he had the versatility. We knew that, and we verified that last year.”
“I'm a winner. I want to win at all costs. Whatever that may be. Winners like to hang around winners, If you're a winner and you want to hang around losers than sooner or later you can possibly become a loser. I like to hang around winners and I feel like this organization is all about winning.”
“I think when you watch Bull, you watch how physical he is around the ball and you just want to try to find ways to get him more involved play after play. He can do it all, though. I think he can cover. I know he’s physical in the run game. He’s a really good blitzer.”
“I think Javon, he did a great job playing violently. I mean, that guy plays the game the right way. He addresses blocks the right way. We saw it in Week 1 and we saw it throughout the season.”
