As much as the Packers knew they needed to upgrade their pass rush (enter Julius Peppers) they've also aggressively targeted players for their defensive backfield, while keeping pretty much the status quo at linebacker (though I do hope they found someone in 4th round LB Carl Bradford).
They did draft two more players who should figure into the defensive back rotation next season, and they have also signed a couple of undrafted free agents who may earn a spot. They'll probably keep eight defensive backs (plus one or two on the practice squad) and here's how it breaks down.
Locks: Sam Shields, Tramon Williams, Casey Hayward, Micah Hyde, Morgan Burnett, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. That's six guys right off the bat, and though Williams could be a salary cap casualty some day, it's probably not going to happen in 2014. There's not a lot of room left on the roster after those locks.
Davon House. He played 472 snaps on defense in 2013 but didn't impress (-4.9 grade in coverage according to Pro Football Focus). He'll miss the cut if he has another poor preseason like he did in 2013.
Jarrett Bush. He's still their special teams' ace and he didn't play much in 2013 until late in the season (plus a game ending INT against the Falcons). I don't know if he'll ever lose his roster spot.
Demetri Goodson. It'll be surprising if their 6th round pick will have a long NFL career, but he's probably going to be a favorite for the practice squad. Without a lot of experience in college, he's probably going to need a longer learning curve in the NFL and they'll probably be patient with him for at least one season.
Chris Banjo and Sean Richardson. So far, they've survived the safety purge of 2013 that's led to the departures of M.D. Jennings and Jerron McMillian, but the Packers have recently signed two more players to compete against them.
Iowa's Tanner Miller. His measurables are just as strong as Clinton-Dix's but the difference between them shows up on game film. Miller played 46 games in college and recorded 7 career INTs, but he also took the blame for allowing some long plays at Iowa. His instincts in the open field might be lacking.
Hawaii's Charles Clay. He's got some speed (4.42 40 time at his Pro Day) but he was a part-time starter (6 in 2013) on a lousy college football team.
They also have three other CBs (Antonio Dennard, Jumal Rolle and Ryan White) who could find themselves on the practice squad after a strong camp, but they probably won't make it past the final cuts. They should get a chance to play this preseason and they'll have to make the most of it.
I'm glad that the Packers have added quantity and quality (Clinton-Dix) to address a major weakness last season. Hopefully the new players will make everyone better and improve this group as a whole in 2014.
Showing posts with label Chris Banjo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chris Banjo. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Friday, April 25, 2014
Grading The 2013 Safeties For The Packers
Earlier this week, I wrote about their need to add depth at safety in the draft and that position really stands out when you look at the current roster where only three players are listed as safeties.
Who's gone: M.D. Jennings and Jerron McMillian. The one thing that they had in common was that they're both awful against the pass. According to Pro Football Focus, they had the two lowest ratings of all the Packer defenders in pass coverage last season. McMillian, who was released mid-season, was seemingly beaten every time he was targeted, and the coaches must have saw nothing in him that they could fix. Jennings wasn't quite that bad, but he didn't make any plays in coverage (0 INTs) and he sometimes looked lost in coverage. These were moves that had to be made.
The starters: Morgan Burnett and Micah Hyde. Hyde's still listed as a cornerback on the official roster, but everyone's talking like he'll be the starting safety. His rating in pass coverage was only a 0.0 according to Pro Football Focus last season, but that was actually the 2nd highest on the team of all the defensive backs who played over 200 snaps last season (only CB Sam Shields was higher). He was a late round pick for a reason, he doesn't have elite speed or size for the position, but he's a player who can fill the role, which will be a big improvement on last season.
I don't think Burnett's ever going to be a star, he might never make a Pro Bowl, but he was much better in 2012. I'm sure the hope is that he'll return to that form, maybe his early season hamstring injury bothered him throughout 2013, but his improvement next season shouldn't be considered a given.
The other options: Sean Richardson and Chris Banjo. I'm impressed Richardson returned to the field after cervical fusion surgery and he wasn't a liability in his 156 snaps. But that doesn't give me any confidence that he's ready to be considered for a starting job either.
Banjo was impressive during the preseason and he was one of the few DBs with a positive rating in pass coverage from Pro Football Focus (in only 192 snaps) but he does seem to have a Sam Shields-like aversion to playing against the run. Banjo could be in the mix in 2014 as the deep safety on 3rd down, similar to what M.D. Jennings provided in 2012, while Hyde moves closer to the line and/or plays against the slot receiver.
So I can see how the safety position could be as good in 2014 as it was in 2012 (not a high bar to clear) but their depth is paper thin with no Plan B other than Sean Richardson. I can understand why they avoided veterans in free agency (a safety who's lost a step isn't a good option) but they need to add to the position in 2014, whether it be through the draft or converting another cornerback to safety.
Who's gone: M.D. Jennings and Jerron McMillian. The one thing that they had in common was that they're both awful against the pass. According to Pro Football Focus, they had the two lowest ratings of all the Packer defenders in pass coverage last season. McMillian, who was released mid-season, was seemingly beaten every time he was targeted, and the coaches must have saw nothing in him that they could fix. Jennings wasn't quite that bad, but he didn't make any plays in coverage (0 INTs) and he sometimes looked lost in coverage. These were moves that had to be made.
The starters: Morgan Burnett and Micah Hyde. Hyde's still listed as a cornerback on the official roster, but everyone's talking like he'll be the starting safety. His rating in pass coverage was only a 0.0 according to Pro Football Focus last season, but that was actually the 2nd highest on the team of all the defensive backs who played over 200 snaps last season (only CB Sam Shields was higher). He was a late round pick for a reason, he doesn't have elite speed or size for the position, but he's a player who can fill the role, which will be a big improvement on last season.
I don't think Burnett's ever going to be a star, he might never make a Pro Bowl, but he was much better in 2012. I'm sure the hope is that he'll return to that form, maybe his early season hamstring injury bothered him throughout 2013, but his improvement next season shouldn't be considered a given.
The other options: Sean Richardson and Chris Banjo. I'm impressed Richardson returned to the field after cervical fusion surgery and he wasn't a liability in his 156 snaps. But that doesn't give me any confidence that he's ready to be considered for a starting job either.
Banjo was impressive during the preseason and he was one of the few DBs with a positive rating in pass coverage from Pro Football Focus (in only 192 snaps) but he does seem to have a Sam Shields-like aversion to playing against the run. Banjo could be in the mix in 2014 as the deep safety on 3rd down, similar to what M.D. Jennings provided in 2012, while Hyde moves closer to the line and/or plays against the slot receiver.
So I can see how the safety position could be as good in 2014 as it was in 2012 (not a high bar to clear) but their depth is paper thin with no Plan B other than Sean Richardson. I can understand why they avoided veterans in free agency (a safety who's lost a step isn't a good option) but they need to add to the position in 2014, whether it be through the draft or converting another cornerback to safety.
Wednesday, February 05, 2014
Packers 2014 Free Agents: The Class of 19
The Packers have 19 free agents of their own to address this offseason, although many of them will be an easy decision. The three players who are either restricted or exclusive rights free agents (which really means they aren't free agents at all) will certainly be back at a small price, and several unrestricted free agents should be considered questionable to return under any circumstances.
Restricted: S M.D. Jennings. If Jennings is the starter in 2014, then I'll feel like the offseason was a failure. He didn't make any big plays last season and he had the lowest grade in pass coverage according to Pro Football Focus of any defender who was with the team at the end of last season. However, he's certain to return because no team should offer him a contract and the Packers might as well bring him back to push his replacement. He'll receive the minimum tender and provide some depth, at least during the preseason.
LB Jamari Lattimore. He was their best middle linebacker last season, but that was a low bar for him to clear because of down years by A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones. However, Pro Football Focus didn't give him a positive grade in either run defense or pass coverage, so it's not obvious he's the answer to their defensive problems either. He might receive a higher tender offer because he was an undrafted player. If they offered the minimum tender then there would be no draft pick compensation if he signed elsewhere. But contracts are very rarely even offered to restricted free agents, so the chances are low that he'll receive one of any sort from another team.
Unrestricted: TE Jermichael Finley, LB Robert Francois, and DE Johnny Jolly. With all three coming off serious season ending injuries, I'm not expecting these players to receive much interest from any team. Finley's recovering from recent spinal fusion surgery, Francois tore his achilles back in October, and Jolly might need neck surgery. I know Finley was very optimistic in recent radio interviews, but that doesn't mean much. They'll either be let go because of their injury concerns or they'll be re-signed for a low amount.
QB Seneca Wallace. He was only signed because of the disastrous Battle of the Backups last preseason, and he was awful himself when he replaced Aaron Rodgers. He's a good guy but I can't imagine he'll be brought back.
QB Matt Flynn. I'm sure most fans would like to see him re-signed, but the Packers don't have to make a big push for him. He's been on the roster of four different NFL teams in the past 12 months and fallen into the journeyman portion of his career. While he's valuable to the Packers, every other NFL team has probably figured out that he's not the answer to their problems. Hopefully he's re-signed in late March, early April, at the veteran's minimum.
DE C.J. Wilson. He didn't have a terrible season, but it's a very bad sign that he couldn't get any playing time (only 108 snaps last season) when the defensive line was a train wreck. He fell on the depth chart behind the equally unimpressive Josh Boyd, so I don't see why the Packers would want him back in 2014. There's plenty of similar players in the undrafted free agent pool, so I'd expect them to add depth through the rookie class instead of re-signing him.
Those six unrestricted free agents are the easy choices. If they return, and it's questionable whether they should even be brought back in the first place, it'll only be for the veteran's minimum or something loaded with playing time incentives. That leaves ten other unrestricted free agents who could or should be brought back and I'll write about them over the next couple weeks.
M.D. Jennings constantly reminded of Seattle: http://t.co/0gnxfIm7ud pic.twitter.com/11WwdvSzqN
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) August 21, 2013
Exclusive rights: S Chris Banjo. He was a pleasant surprise in training camp, but he didn't show much on defense when he was given the chance to replace S Jerron McMillian. He'll probably be re-signed because of his play on special teams but he's not a legitimate option on defense.Restricted: S M.D. Jennings. If Jennings is the starter in 2014, then I'll feel like the offseason was a failure. He didn't make any big plays last season and he had the lowest grade in pass coverage according to Pro Football Focus of any defender who was with the team at the end of last season. However, he's certain to return because no team should offer him a contract and the Packers might as well bring him back to push his replacement. He'll receive the minimum tender and provide some depth, at least during the preseason.
LB Jamari Lattimore. He was their best middle linebacker last season, but that was a low bar for him to clear because of down years by A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones. However, Pro Football Focus didn't give him a positive grade in either run defense or pass coverage, so it's not obvious he's the answer to their defensive problems either. He might receive a higher tender offer because he was an undrafted player. If they offered the minimum tender then there would be no draft pick compensation if he signed elsewhere. But contracts are very rarely even offered to restricted free agents, so the chances are low that he'll receive one of any sort from another team.
Unrestricted: TE Jermichael Finley, LB Robert Francois, and DE Johnny Jolly. With all three coming off serious season ending injuries, I'm not expecting these players to receive much interest from any team. Finley's recovering from recent spinal fusion surgery, Francois tore his achilles back in October, and Jolly might need neck surgery. I know Finley was very optimistic in recent radio interviews, but that doesn't mean much. They'll either be let go because of their injury concerns or they'll be re-signed for a low amount.
QB Seneca Wallace. He was only signed because of the disastrous Battle of the Backups last preseason, and he was awful himself when he replaced Aaron Rodgers. He's a good guy but I can't imagine he'll be brought back.
QB Matt Flynn. I'm sure most fans would like to see him re-signed, but the Packers don't have to make a big push for him. He's been on the roster of four different NFL teams in the past 12 months and fallen into the journeyman portion of his career. While he's valuable to the Packers, every other NFL team has probably figured out that he's not the answer to their problems. Hopefully he's re-signed in late March, early April, at the veteran's minimum.
DE C.J. Wilson. He didn't have a terrible season, but it's a very bad sign that he couldn't get any playing time (only 108 snaps last season) when the defensive line was a train wreck. He fell on the depth chart behind the equally unimpressive Josh Boyd, so I don't see why the Packers would want him back in 2014. There's plenty of similar players in the undrafted free agent pool, so I'd expect them to add depth through the rookie class instead of re-signing him.
Those six unrestricted free agents are the easy choices. If they return, and it's questionable whether they should even be brought back in the first place, it'll only be for the veteran's minimum or something loaded with playing time incentives. That leaves ten other unrestricted free agents who could or should be brought back and I'll write about them over the next couple weeks.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
On Whether The Packers Should Bench McMillian and Start Banjo
His game against the 49ers was bad, awful, and he has to improve. It might mean that the Green Bay Packers will bench rookie safety Jerron McMillian.
If Burnett isn't ready to go, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Packers bench McMillian, though it wouldn't mean the Packers are giving up on him. In 2011, M.D. Jennings had a lousy game against the 49ers at Lambeau in week 1, he lost track of WR Randy Moss who was wide open for a touchdown, and he didn't play a lot over the following couple of weeks. But then Charles Woodson broke his collerbone and Jennings finished up the regular season as the starter.
The concern is that S Chris Banjo isn't any better. He was recently released by the Jaguars which is not a good sign. While he had a strong preseason, it came against backups. His promotion would be a roll of the dice and it might work out, but I expect the coaches are considering everything they've seen from both players over the past several weeks without focusing exclusively on just one game.
So I wouldn't be surprised to see a change, but I wouldn't be surprised to see them keep McMillian ahead of him either. That's not a helpful conclusion, but I don't know what the coaching staff thinks about each player and I wouldn't be disappointed to see them go with either player.
Forgot to tweet this link earlier... Might be time for Banjo to play on defense? http://t.co/zwTrVqwBUCThis discussion might be irrelevant because S Morgan Burnett was limited in practice on Wednesday and he might be able to play on Sunday. His return would mean a change in McMillian's role anyway. However, the 49ers game might have been a long-term sign that McMillian isn't meant to play deep safety and he's better off as a nickel/slot defender.
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) September 12, 2013
If Burnett isn't ready to go, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Packers bench McMillian, though it wouldn't mean the Packers are giving up on him. In 2011, M.D. Jennings had a lousy game against the 49ers at Lambeau in week 1, he lost track of WR Randy Moss who was wide open for a touchdown, and he didn't play a lot over the following couple of weeks. But then Charles Woodson broke his collerbone and Jennings finished up the regular season as the starter.
The concern is that S Chris Banjo isn't any better. He was recently released by the Jaguars which is not a good sign. While he had a strong preseason, it came against backups. His promotion would be a roll of the dice and it might work out, but I expect the coaches are considering everything they've seen from both players over the past several weeks without focusing exclusively on just one game.
So I wouldn't be surprised to see a change, but I wouldn't be surprised to see them keep McMillian ahead of him either. That's not a helpful conclusion, but I don't know what the coaching staff thinks about each player and I wouldn't be disappointed to see them go with either player.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Position Review: Safety
This position has been constantly changing since Nick Collins and Atari Bigby were the starters from 2007 through 2009. Even then, there was a parade of different strong safeties (Aaron Rouse, Derrick Martin, Jarrett Bush) who filled in for all the times that Bigby was injured. Collins's 2011 career ending neck injury forced another change, but now the position seems settled for the near future.
Position Reviews (Defense): Inside Linebacker, Defensive Line, Outside Linebacker
Position Reviews: Offense
Morgan Burnett. He's still got some room to grow, but at age 24 he's just entering his prime and it can take safeties a little longer to develop. Collins didn't become a Pro Bowl performer until his fourth season, which is the same point that Burnett will be at in 2013. A break out season won't cause any salary cap troubles either because he just signed a five-year extension.
M.D. Jennings. The Packers employ an unusual safety rotation in which he's the starter but he's not always on the field (unlike Burnett). He'll be the deep coverage safety, and while it would seem that he should be in a battle for the starting job, he's not because McMillian plays a different role on defense.
Jerron McMillian. The unknown college safety from Maine did so well as Charles Woodson's replacement that Woodson was released. He might never be as good as Woodson, but he should be better than him over the next few years (assuming Woodson keeps playing that long). He'll be asked to play like a pseudo linebacker, looking to help out in run support and in coverage against the slot receiver.
While Burnett will never leave the field, both Jennings and McMillian will come off at times, and sometimes they'll play together. Defensive coordinator Dom Capers isn't afraid to shake up the rotation depending on the opponent. I'm not sure I'm expecting great things from them, but they're going to be a solid unit.
The Packers should expect to keep at least one more safety on the roster but there isn't an obvious candidate. I wouldn't be surprised if one of the cornerbacks was asked to play at both positions this season.
Sean Richardson. The formerly undrafted free agent was a surprise addition to the 2012 roster, but his NFL future is in doubt after offseason neck surgery. I expect he'll be released soon.
David Fulton, Chaz Powell, Chris Banjo. A collection of undrafted players; Fulton in 2013, Powell and Banjo in 2012. Banjo was signed this week after Richardson's prognostic looked bleak. Which one of the three players might emerge as a keeper is anyone's guess. Powell probably has a slight lead because he was actually invited to the NFL combine after finishing college at Penn State and he ended last season on the Packers's practice squad.
Depth at safety has been a concern of mine for the past few years, especially with all the injuries, but the top three safeties appear set for the first time in years. The depth behind them is still an issue, but they should find someone worthy among the collection of young players at corner and safety.
Position Reviews (Defense): Inside Linebacker, Defensive Line, Outside Linebacker
Position Reviews: Offense
Morgan Burnett. He's still got some room to grow, but at age 24 he's just entering his prime and it can take safeties a little longer to develop. Collins didn't become a Pro Bowl performer until his fourth season, which is the same point that Burnett will be at in 2013. A break out season won't cause any salary cap troubles either because he just signed a five-year extension.
M.D. Jennings. The Packers employ an unusual safety rotation in which he's the starter but he's not always on the field (unlike Burnett). He'll be the deep coverage safety, and while it would seem that he should be in a battle for the starting job, he's not because McMillian plays a different role on defense.
Jerron McMillian. The unknown college safety from Maine did so well as Charles Woodson's replacement that Woodson was released. He might never be as good as Woodson, but he should be better than him over the next few years (assuming Woodson keeps playing that long). He'll be asked to play like a pseudo linebacker, looking to help out in run support and in coverage against the slot receiver.
While Burnett will never leave the field, both Jennings and McMillian will come off at times, and sometimes they'll play together. Defensive coordinator Dom Capers isn't afraid to shake up the rotation depending on the opponent. I'm not sure I'm expecting great things from them, but they're going to be a solid unit.
The Packers should expect to keep at least one more safety on the roster but there isn't an obvious candidate. I wouldn't be surprised if one of the cornerbacks was asked to play at both positions this season.
Sean Richardson. The formerly undrafted free agent was a surprise addition to the 2012 roster, but his NFL future is in doubt after offseason neck surgery. I expect he'll be released soon.
David Fulton, Chaz Powell, Chris Banjo. A collection of undrafted players; Fulton in 2013, Powell and Banjo in 2012. Banjo was signed this week after Richardson's prognostic looked bleak. Which one of the three players might emerge as a keeper is anyone's guess. Powell probably has a slight lead because he was actually invited to the NFL combine after finishing college at Penn State and he ended last season on the Packers's practice squad.
Depth at safety has been a concern of mine for the past few years, especially with all the injuries, but the top three safeties appear set for the first time in years. The depth behind them is still an issue, but they should find someone worthy among the collection of young players at corner and safety.