Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson took a long hard look at the team’s collapse in last season’s NFC Championship game. As Matt Ryan and Julio Jones consistently roasted cornerbacks Ladarius Gunter, Damarious Randall, and Quinten Rollins it became very apparent that the Green Bay secondary that improved over an eight-game win streak was still the team’s Achilles heel. Green Bay finished last against the pass as injuries in the secondary depleted what was thought to be a promising young group.
Green Bay Packers Secondary Shake-Up
The loss of Sam Shields to reoccurring concussions forced untested players into pivotal roles on the defense. In order to stop the bleeding after the loss of versatile defensive back Micah Hyde, Thompson reached out to one of his former draftees, signing Davon House back to the team during free agency. House spent two years with the Jacksonville Jaguars where his inconsistent play continued.
Safeties Morgan Burnett and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix both had solid seasons despite the play of the cornerbacks. Clinton-Dix was voted to his first Pro Bowl and has truly developed as one of the most well-rounded safeties in the league. Morgan Burnett continued his solid play near the line of scrimmage, leading the team in tackles for the third time in the last five years.
Despite recent investments at the position and several young cornerbacks on the roster, Thompson targeted defensive backs with each of his first two picks in the 2017 NFL Draft. With the first pick in the second round, Thompson drafted Washington’s Kevin King, then double-dipped into the secondary with safety Josh Jones out of North Carolina State. Both King and Jones should see the field early on, altering the makeup of Green Bay’s secondary in 2017.
The New Recruits
Kevin King
Washington’s surprise run to the college football playoffs was due to its suffocating defense led by a plethora of playmakers. King joined fellow teammates Budda Baker and Sidney Jones as second round draft picks from the Huskies’ secondary. The 6’3” King brings much needed size and athleticism to Green Bay’s group of cornerbacks. Thompson has empirically preferred tall corners, but King instantly steps in as the largest of the bunch.
King’s 4.43 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine also makes him one of the fastest players on Green Bay’s defense. With experience playing free safety during his first two years at Washington, he possesses the ability to line up anywhere in the secondary. Size, athleticism, and versatility coupled with King’s impressive ball skills should have him competing for a starting position on the boundary from day one.
Josh Jones
One of the best value picks of the draft, Josh Jones immediately steps in as Green Bay’s third safety behind Clinton-Dix and Burnett. Another prospect with top-tier athleticism and good size, Jones could see an impact early in his career. Although under-the-radar most of his career at NC State, Jones was a solid force for the Wolfpack his freshman and sophomore seasons before coming on strong last year. He picked off three passes, added 11 breakups, and had 109 tackles while primarily playing as a strong safety.
Jones plays a game similar to Clinton-Dix coming out of Alabama. He flies around the field with reckless abandon. He delivers punishing blows but can get out of position when wrapping up. Jones needs to keep his eyes up and take better angles in space in order to tackle NFL wide receivers, but his natural explosiveness should make him a playmaker from day one. With the skills to play both the deep pass as well as the run and an ability to get his hands on the ball, Jones could become a starting-caliber safety very quickly. Although other holes on Green Bay’s roster remained, Jones was simply too good for Thompson to pass on at the end of round two.
Shift in the Secondary
The additions of King and Jones continued a trend of investing in the secondary over the past several drafts. Damarious Randall and Quinten Rollins, first and second round picks respectively, digressed when forced into the spotlight in 2016. Third-year undrafted player Ladarius Gunter massively exceeded expectations but he should not be counted on as the team’s top corner. Davon House provides a veteran presence and knowledge of the playbook to go along with impressive size.
The battle for Green Bay’s starting cornerbacks will almost certainly spill over from training camp into the regular season. Until Dom Capers can find a suitable combination on the outside, expect all of these players to get the chance to prove themselves. House and King should emerge as favorites early in training camp due to their size and physicality. Randall has shown flashes on the outside over his first two seasons, but he seemed to be in Mike McCarthy’s doghouse near the end of 2016. Randall was benched in several games despite being rarely tasked with handling the opposing team’s top receiver. Rollins is better suited as a slot cornerback due to his slender stature and lack of tracking ability. Gunter has an outside shot of making the starting lineup because he ended last season as the team’s top cover corner. Gunter is a tough and aggressive player, but he draws too many flags and doesn’t possess the physical tools of King nor House.
The starting safety tandem of Clinton-Dix and Morgan Burnett should remain the same. Many analysts have Jones slated into Micah Hyde’s role as a jack-of-all-trades slot defender. Jones doesn’t possess the quick twitch ability of Hyde but is much more of a physical downhill player. Although Jones flies around the field like Clinton-Dix, he’s more suited to play in the box as a factor against the run. Thompson may view Jones as insurance for Burnett who will become a free agent after the 2017 season. With Damarious Randall having experience at safety in college, he may be more suited for Hyde’s role specializing on covering tight ends.
Investment in Athleticism
The Packers now boast both experience and depth in the secondary that was severely lacking last season after the loss of Sam Shields. Gunter was the only cornerback to play in each game as injuries ravaged the entire depth chart. He played well but showed little playmaking ability. Randall and Rollins possess playmaking ability but didn’t play well. Thompson used free agency to add a savvy and solid player in Davon House and utilized his first two picks in the draft to add athletic players with ball skills. King and Jones are unproven at this point, but they should compete for time in a secondary devoid of explosive game changers.
Thompson is hoping that fixing the secondary is the key to getting Dom Capers‘ defense over the hump. With unproven talent throughout the front seven and needs at running back and offensive line, Thompson used each of his premier picks on defensive backs. Green Bay’s new-look secondary will be tested early in 2017 as they face Russell Wilson before traveling to Atlanta in week two. After demolishing the Packers in the final game at the Georgia Dome, Atlanta now unveils Mercedes-Benz Stadium against Green Bay on Sunday Night Football. Both Kevin King and Josh Jones will find Julio Jones welcoming them to the NFL.
