Mike McCarthy: Green Bay Packers have learned "hard lessons"

Mike McCarthy has admitted that the Green Bay Packers have learned "hard lessons" in the last couple of years in the NFL.

The NFC North champions have focused on strengthening their defense so far this off-season, signing defensive end Julius Peppers in free agency before picking safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix in the first round of the Draft.

The head coach told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "We've learned some hard lessons here of late, the last couple years of maybe playing some players that probably weren't quite ready because of the scheme of we're playing of utilising your best players, and that's a trap you just don't want to fall into as a coach."

The Packers lost to the San Francisco 49ers in the wildcard round of the playoffs last season.