Position Evaluation: Secondary

Cornerback is the position former Head Honcho Ted Thompson (or is he, but more on that later) worked on the most in his final years and the position that was the least improved and the main reason, in addition to Dom Capers, the Packers defense sucked for the last several seasons.

Cornerback has been a major disaster after the loss of Tramon Williams and Sam Shields, despite being filled by three high draft choices. Thompson began to rebuild the unit by drafting Damarious Randall and Quinten Rollins No. 1 and No 2 in 2015 and then Kevin King No. 2 (he was actually Thompson’s top draft pick when he traded out of the 1st round) last season. In addition, he drafted Demetri Goodson No. 6 in 2014.

What can I say about Randall?  He was actually a safety, but Ted Thompson always felt he knew more about everything than anybody, so he was drafted as a cornerback and it was a disaster. Even though he ended up being the best cornerback on the team last year with 4 interceptions and 9 passes defended his fellow players hated him so much personally they forced “Gute” to trade him away to the Browns. He may end up being a very good safety there.

Rollins never lived up to his high draft status with 1 interception in his 3 seasons. He ended up on injured reserve with an ankle injury after 6 games.

And Goodson is another Randall in that he was playing out of position. Goodson was a basketball player and never lived up to being on the team. He lost his 2016 season with a horrible knee injury and played only 2 games last year coming off PUP and then going on injured reserve with a hamstring.

Then there is the curious life of Davon House, a former Thompson No. 4 draft pick in 2011. During his first 4 years as a Packer he was injured all the time with ankle, shoulder, knee and finger injuries missing 24 games. He had only 3 interceptions and when his rookie contract was up he was allowed to walk and signed a 4-year, $24,500,000 contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars. I agreed with that move.

House got off to a great start with 4 interceptions and 23 passes defended, but was eventually benched last season and cut with 2 years remaining on his free agent contract. He was re-signed last season on a 1-year, $3,500,000 contract and while starting 12 games at right corner he suffered through injuries again starting the season with a hamstring injury and ending with quad, back and shoulder injuries. He finished with 1 interception and just 6 passes defended.

House has since been re-signed again this time with a 1-year, $1,005,000 contract. I think he was re-signed because there are no other options as far as cheap veterans are concerned. This signing sounds like Brian Gutekunst is listening too much to Ted Thompson, but again more on that later. The cheap doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Speaking of re-signings Tramon Williams has also been re-signed in a blast from the past. He was let go by Thompson after the 2014 season for being too old and I also think for giving up the game-winning touchdown to the Seahawks that knocked the Packers out of the Super Bowl. He spent 2 seasons with the Browns after signing a 3-year, $21,000,000 contract, but was benched in his second season and terminated with 1 year left. He signed with the Cardinals on a 1-year, $2,000,000 contact and started the last 9 games with 2 interceptions and 12 passes defended.

“Gute” signed him to a 2-year, $10,000,000 contract and I think that is excessive. He is 35 years old and that is older than he was 3 years ago. He is expected to start at left corner. I hope he lives up to his billing, but I doubt it.

Kevin King is listed as the starter at right corner. The No. 2 pick showed promise early, but the offenses figured him out and he made a lot of mistakes in coverage eventually ending up on injured reserve with a left shoulder injury after 9 games and 5 starts. He had 0 interceptions and 5 passes defended. He is an unknown at best or Damarious Randall at worse.

The other cornerbacks are Ted Thompson's famous undrafted free agents Josh Hawkins, Donatello Brown, Lenzy Pipkins and converted wide receiver Herb Waters.

To add insult to injury Ted Thompson in his infinite wisdom released 2012 No. 2 pick Casey Hayward after his rookie contract was over. After he signed with the Chargers he led the league in interceptions in 2016 with 7 and last year has 4. He made the Pro Bowl in both seasons. Good move Ted.

Cornerbacks have been a disaster for three seasons and might be a disaster again this season with aging veterans, failed free agents, failed No. 1 picks and undrafted free agents. I give cornerbacks a D-. If the cornerbacks are no better than last year it’s going to be a long season for new Defensive Coordinator Mike Pettine.

As bad as the cornerbacks have been the safeties weren’t much better last year. Just like letting cornerback Casey Hayward the season before leading to playing inadequate reserves when a veteran was needed the most safety was also hurt when Ted Thompson in his infinite wisdom let Micah Hyde go the Bills for nothing. Again just like Hayward he made the Pro Bowl last season and none of the Packers secondary was even considered.

However, the season began with 2014 No. 1 pick Ha Ha Clinton-Dix looking like the second coming of Nick Collins at free safety after 2016 when he made the Pro Bowl with 5 interceptions. However, like everything else last season Clinton-Dix took 3 steps back avoiding tackles, missing tackles when he made contact and blowing coverages. He finished with 3 interceptions and 1 of those actually was thrown into his hands.

The Clinton-Dix last year was a surprise. It was either the overall sucky nature of the secondary that brought him down or it was something else more serious. He needs to rebound or the Packers are doomed.

His backfield partner strong safety Morgan Burnett of Nos Mas fame in the ill-fated Seahawks playoff game was let go and he signed with the Steelers. That may or may not be a bad decision. Burnett also had an off-year after being one of the best players in the secondary. Be that as it may that move by “Gute” seems to signal that the secondary as a whole and not just cornerback is going to be a big emphasis this off-season, although no safeties have been signed in free agency.

Last year’s second No. 2 pick Josh Jones is penciled in to replace Burnett and that seems a bit premature. Jones started great like Kevin King, but also faded with bad decisions, missed tackles and bad angles playing in the slot. He hasn’t played strong safety since college. He came in with the reputation of being a hitter, which would be good at strong safety, but he didn’t show it last season finishing 1 interception, 2 sacks, 5 passes defended and 71 tackles (60 solo) in 7 starts.

I would like to see him earn that starting spot instead of being handed by default. Let’s hope he is up to the task.

Safety is where Thompson has left the cupboard bare because there are only 3 backups on the team and they are all undrafted free agents, Kentrell Brice, Jermaine Whitehead and Marwin Evans.

Brice played a lot his rookie season, but injuries and the sophomore jinx took its toll ending on injured reserve after 7 games and 3 starts with 1 interception, 3 passes defended, 18 tackles (14 solo). He was an up-and-comer who joined Clinton-Dix in a downward spiral. 

Evans jumped past Brice even before the injury playing in all 16 games with 23 tackles (20 solo). He became the first safety off the bench. Whitehead was a undrafted free agent by the 49ers in 2015 and signed by Ted Thompson in 2016 after two seasons with the Ravens. He started on the practice squad in 2016 and played two games and last year was activated from the practice squad and played 10 games with 1 pass defended and 11 tackles (8 solo).

So far there are only 5 safeties on the roster heading into the draft. Does that make you think that safety might be a priority? It does to me, but not for the numbers, but because safety went from a strong point for 3 years to a liability last season.

I give safety a D- and with the low numbers returning and conversely relying on rookies or undrafted rookies safety will be a problem again this year.

I am also not happy that the entire defensive coaching staff wasn’t fired. I think Joe Whitt, Jr. was a problem and he is now Passing Coordinator in the new coaching philosophy of Mike McCarthy. Another example of change being just an illusion and not actual change.

To sum it up the secondary was an Achilles Heal last year and I don’t see it getting much better this year. HELP is needed.