FrankRizzo
Cheesehead
I have seen different people predicting each as our regular starting safety opposite Morgan Burnett.
I believe over at JerseyAl, they had McMillian.
Someone else I read thought Jennings, who has some extra time in this system.
Who do you think will win this battle?
Here's some stuff on these guys:
http://lombardiave.com/2013/06/24/g...ron-mcmillian-morgan-burnett-sean-richardson/
I believe over at JerseyAl, they had McMillian.
Someone else I read thought Jennings, who has some extra time in this system.
Who do you think will win this battle?
Here's some stuff on these guys:
http://lombardiave.com/2013/06/24/g...ron-mcmillian-morgan-burnett-sean-richardson/
With the release of Charles Woodson this offseason, the other starting safety position is up for grabs. At this point, it’s a two-horse race between Jennings and McMillian.
Jennings and McMillian split time at safety last year in Woodson’s absence, and had other playing opportunities in nickel and dime sub-packages throughout the season. Despite their youth, Jennings and McMillian bring a considerable amount of playing experience to the safety position.
They each played nearly 600 snaps for the defense last year, with Jennings slightly edging out McMillian on playing time at safety by approximately 20 snaps. Position coach Darren Perry said both young players had their moments last season, but neither one of them did enough to secure the starting position opposite Burnett.
Both Jennings and McMillian bring a unique skill set to the safety position. Jennings plays with good speed and is reliable in coverage. He did admirably last year in securing the middle of the field and preventing opposing offenses from getting big plays over the top of the defense. Passing plays more than 20 yards allowed by the Green Bay defense dropped from 71 in 2011 to 50 in 2012. It was evident last season that Jennings was already an improvement over Charlie Peprah in coverage, but Jennings still had his share of struggles.
Jennings played undersized, weighing in just shy of 190 pounds. He got his nose in on a lot of tackles (52), but lacked the size and strength to pack a punch when he hit and bring ball carriers down to the ground. This won’t strike any fear into any receivers coming over the middle of the field.
However, Jennings has made it a point this offseason to add weight and strength, so he can play more physically this season. A recent report by Tyler Dunne has Jennings now at 200 pounds, which is a more ideal weight for playing safety in the league. Jennings also said the added weight will help him bring down ball carriers and deliver the big hits you expect from the position.
Jennings is an intelligent player with a good understanding of the defense. With the added weight and another year of experience, Jennings has a good chance at winning the starting safety spot this offseason, but his efforts won’t go unmatched.
Last year, the Packers drafted McMillian in the fourth round replace Nick Collins, who was forced to retire early in 2012 due to a severe neck injury. From the beginning, McMillian seemed poised to be the Packers next big hitting safety, but McMillian’s rookie season was disappointing. He struggled to grasp the playbook, and was out of place in coverage on more than one occasion. He allowed 4-½ passing plays of 20 yards or more. Blown coverage and missed assignments were difficult for Green Bay coaches to stomach, as they went with the more reliable Jennings as the year progressed.
Still, McMillian brings a lot of raw ability to the safety position. He is the most athletic safety on the Packers roster. He has the size, strength, and speed to deliver big hits and make plays on the field. He showed his versatility last year by playing corner at times in dime packages, and proved to be a proficient tackler in run support. Despite his early struggles, the Packers still really like McMillian’s potential. He just needs to be more consistent and prove to his coaches that he can be reliable in coverage.
McMillian will do everything in his power to challenge Jennings for the starting safety spot, and with the two young players giving it their best, the safety competition could turn out to be the most exciting position battle to watch in training camp this year.