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It looked like Green Bay Packers pass rusher Kingsley Enagbare would miss most of the 2024 season, but head coach Matt LaFleur had a stunning update about his player’s recovery.
LaFleur spoke with reporters about Green Bay’s draft class following the 2024 NFL Draft. During the press conference, LaFleur shared a key update on Enagbare.
The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman shared to X that LaFleur told reporters that it was never confirmed that Enagbare had torn his ACL. In fact, Enagbare never had knee surgery, and won’t necessarily miss the majority of the 2024 season.
General manager Brian Gutekunst added additional context. Enagbare hadn’t fully torn his ACL, which would explain the lack of surgery.
Enagbare had told reporters following the team’s playoff win over the Dallas Cowboys that he had torn his ACL. Apparently, that may have been a self-diagnosis, or perhaps an assumption before further testing was done.
Either way, Enagbare’s potential return earlier than anticipated is a massive boost to Green Bay’s pass rush in 2024.
Kingsley Enagbare Has Looked Like a Day 3 Steal
Regardless of what his availability looks like in 2024, Enagbare has looked like a steal in his first two seasons with the Packers.
Coming out of high school in Atlanta, Enagbare was a 4-star recruit and one of the top defensive ends in the country. His offers included top-tier programs like Georgia and Notre Dame. Instead, he decided to play for the South Carolina Gamecocks.
Enagbare’s best college season came as a junior, earning First-Team All-SEC honors. He finished his college career with 15 sacks, 24 tackles for loss and 4 forced fumbles.
The Packers liked what they saw from Enagbare’s film, taking him in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL draft. While he wasn’t expected to see much playing time as a rookie, injuries forced him onto the field.
Since then, Enagbare has established himself as a rotational EDGE for Green Bay. He’s already been a legitimate contributor, racking up 13 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks in two seasons.
The switch to a 4-3 base defense could be even more beneficial to Enagbare. He’s a bigger-bodied EDGE player at 258 pounds, and could be the long-term successor to Preston Smith.
As long as he can come back 100% healthy, Enagbare could take a big third-year jump in Jeff Hafley’s defense.
Could Kalen King Be Green Bay’s Next Day 3 Steal?
The Packers had a handful of intriguing picks on Day 3 of the 2024 NFL Draft. However, none of them turned heads quite like Kalen King.
King was taken with one of the last picks in the entire draft, going 255th overall. A rough 2023 season had killed his draft stock, but King was considered one of the top cornerbacks in this draft class heading into the 2023 season.
A dominant 2022 season put King on the map. He was named an All-American that season after racking up three interceptions and a ridiculous 18 pass deflections.
King also has a long, wiry frame at 5-foot-11 and 191 pounds. He has the length to press, along with the long strides to stay in phase with receivers deep downfield.
There are questions about King’s drastic drop-off in 2023. However, if he can replicate his 2022 performance at the NFL level, he could become a Day 3 steal for the Packers.
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