It’s easy to say which single player the Packers can least afford to lose to injury on offense. That would be quarterback Jordan Love. But who claims the honor on defense? Who is the one player on defense that the team would be hurt the most if he was unavailable? This is based on a combination of the talent of the player, his role in the defense and the depth available at the position. Here are the top three.

Number Three: Edge Rashan Gary

Putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks is a vital component of a good defense. Rashan Gary is the team’s best pass rusher. He led the Packers in sacks last season with nine despite coming off a knee injury that caused him to miss the final eight games of the 2022 campaign.

Gary puts pressure on opposing quarterbacks, but he has yet to record double digit sacks in a season yet. He had 30 pressures and had a high pass rush win rate last season.

The only reason Gary isn’t higher on this list is the depth the Packers have at edge. Preston Smith starts opposite Gary while 2023 first-round pick, Lukas Van Ness and Kingsley Enagbare round out the four-man rotation atop the depth chart.

Number Two: DL Kenny Clark

There is no doubt that Kenny Clark is the best defensive lineman on the current roster. He is one of the few interior defensive linemen in the NFL who can stuff the run and put pressure on opposing quarterbacks on a consistent basis.

Last season, Clark recorded a career-high 7.5 sacks while earning Pro Bowl honors for the third time in his career. He also had a career-best 16 quarterback hits.

In addition to being the team’s best defensive lineman, Clark also provides veteran leadership for the defense.

The depth behind Clark is better than it has been at any time since Clark started his career with the Packers in 2016. The Packers have a solid five-man rotation that includes Clark, T.J. Slaton, Devonte Wyatt, Colby Wooden and Karl Brooks.

If the Packers lost Clark for any length of time, the loss was certainly be felt on the field. The run defense would struggle more and the pass rush from in the interior line would be greatly diminished. Players would be asked to assume roles they have not successfully played in the NFL.

Number One: CB Jaire Alexander

Jaire Alexander remains the Packers top cover corner. He is also one of the best cover corners in the NFL when he’s healthy.

Last season, Alexander wasn’t healthy and played in only seven games. He was also suspended one game for “conduct detrimental to the team” after he sent himself out for the coin toss at a game in Carolina despite not being designated as a captain.

Since then, the Packers and Alexander have mended fences. Alexander was a full participant in voluntary OTAs and seems to have rededicated himself to the game and the team.

The Packers will need Alexander to be on top of his game this season. There is some depth at cornerback, but if the Packers lost Alexander to injury, there would be a big drop off in the team’s corner play.

Eric Stokes has not been healthy for the past two seasons and his ability to stay in the lineup this year remains a question. After a strong rookie season, his play also fell off in 2022 and 2023. It is not clear if Stokes can return to his rookie season form.

Carrington Valentine played surprisingly well as a rookie seventh-round pick. But while Valentine seems to be a solid second cornerback, it remains a big question as to whether he’s good enough at this point to be the team’s top cover corner.

Alexander’s attitude, confidence and leadership are also important to the Packers defense.

For these reasons, Alexander is the player the Packers can least afford to lose at the start of the 2024 season.