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Ted Thompson's last two drafts have been defense-heavy, and now, with 10 defensive players set to become free agents this offseason, the 2014 draft looks to be equally so.

First, there are the wide bodies on the defensive line: B.J. Raji, Ryan Pickett, Johnny Jolly and C.J. Wilson.

Then there are the members of the secondary: Sam Shields, M.D. Jennings and Chris Banjo.

And finally, there are the linebackers—Mike Neal, Jamari Lattimore and Rob Francois.

Safety is the lowest-performing position on defense by far—after all, the unit didn't produce a single interception for the first time in decades—but defensive line may turn out to be the biggest need overall simply in terms of bodies. Green Bay has the option of completely starting over on the defensive line, though it's safe to assume that Wilson, who has shown promise, gets an offer.

Jolly's situation will depend on the healing of his season-ending neck injury, for which it is yet uncertain if he'll have surgery.

It's almost certain that either Pickett or Raji will walk. Both excel at nose tackle but are underwhelming at tackle or end, and it no longer makes sense to have both on the team.

The Packers either will choose the short-term fix of re-signing the 34-year old Pickett to a two- or three-year deal, opting to let Raji seek the $8 million-plus he thinks he's worth with another team, or, if Raji doesn't get the offer he's looking for in free agency, could benefit twice over by signing him at a discount ($5 million?) and moving him back to nose tackle, where his production is almost sure to increase.

This draft is rich with talent on the defensive line, and Green Bay could find a Week 1 contributor in any of Ra'Shede Hageman, Louis Nix, Stephon Tuitt or Will Sutton.

If Green Bay is serious about rebuilding the safety position, there's no need to keep Jennings. Banjo should be a definite re-sign, and the team should also consider converting Micah Hyde from corner.

The obvious safety choice in the draft would be Alabama's Ha Ha Clinton-Dix in the first round, but the team will still be leaps and bounds better at safety in 2014 with someone like Louisville's Calvin Pryor or Washington State's Deone Bucannon.

A quality pass rush and a stout middle are two crucial areas in which this defense needs to improve, and so linebacker will be another area of focus in the draft. It seems unlikely that both Lattimore and Francois get re-signed, and of the two, Lattimore has earned it more.

Neal wasn't originally converted from a defensive lineman to play outside linebacker, but injuries to both Clay Matthews and Nick Perry necessitated it for most of last season.

Green Bay might give him a try with more snaps on the inside in 2014, but it wouldn't be surprising to see him walk. One year is hardly enough time to fully transition to a new position, especially after a dramatic 30-pound weight loss, but Neal should have been further along by the end of 2013.

Kyle Van Noy would be an excellent addition on the outside; Ryan Shazier is another interesting prospect there. And the Packers are sure to finish the draft with a talented inside linebacker if they want one, having Shayne Skov, Chris Borland and Christian Jones as options.

C.J. Mosley would, of course, be a game-changer but is likely to be off the board by the 21st overall pick.