Micah Hyde

[Jordyruns]

Ok I'm tired of all the TT hate threads, so I'm going to try and change the topic of discussion.

We all know FS has been one of the Packers biggest needs since the Collins injury in 2011. This needs to be addressed this year (please do not bring up the FA or draft discussion that has been going on) as our defense has not looked the same since Collins could no longer play. I think that switching Hyde primary position to safety this offseason would provide a potential in house answer and here are my main points.

1) His primary position this season, slot corner, will be taken up primarily by Hayward next year. With Hyde's documented lack of explosiveness, top end speed and fluid hips it is highly unlikely Hyde could move outside and not giving him a chance to get off the bench would be a complete waste of his talents.

2) This is not an unprecedented switch, Nick Collins was a CB in college and listed as one in the combine Tyrann Mathieu also made the switch this year (while playing slot corner none the less.)

3) Micah Hyde played some safety in college so he has some background of how to play the position, in fact many scouts had him listed as a safety in the draft thinking that it was a given he was going to make the switch in the NFL. He also has a year under capers difficult defensive system something a draft pick or FA would not have.

4) His ballhawking sure tackling skill set fits the FS position very well. The guy has a knack for making big plays and is would allow him to roam around and make those plays. He also has proven that he can blitz when asked to, although capers doesn't do this as much with safeties as he does with CBs.

5) This was the big one for me his measurable are not as bad as I thought for a Safety at least (minus the vertical that was horrible.) Here are some of the top safeties from the 2013 draft next to Hyde.
Hyde 40) 4.56 Vert) 33"
Mathieu 4.50 34"
Reid 4.53 40.5
Elam 4.54 35.5"
Vaccaro 4.64 38"

Everything else he was competitive in with the others (all first round talent and all played very well their first years) even leading broad jump and the 3 cone drill. He does not have the Collins sub 4.4 40 speed but if you are waiting for a talent like that you either need to bomb and get a top 5 pick or you're probably not going to get it without breaking the bank, again do not start this argument again.

Again I'm not saying its a home run and will definitely work out, but I do feel its as good an option as any, especially with the supposed lack of safety talent in this draft that I have been reading about.

So what do you think?

 

[FrankRizzo]

I was talking with someone tonight on Twitter about this.
To me, it seems NATURAL for Hyde to play safety for us.

He's physical.
We're deeper, obviously, at corner.
And I think he's smart.

I think this makes clear logical sense.
Let's not swim upstream on this one.
Switch him now.
Better the team back there.

 

[TJV]

Not a new idea but a good one. He could not possibly be worse than MD Jennings. I remember someone on the staff was quoted as at least talking about Hyde at safety. I'd still prefer a mid range UFA safety even if Hyde is switched. Failing that I'd still prefer a safety in the first three rounds if it makes sense when those picks are made, even if Hyde is switched. Beyond finding another safety it wouldn't be a bad idea to light a competitive fire under Burnett's ****.

 

[AmishMafia]

Not a new idea but a good one. He could not possibly be worse than MD Jennings. I remember someone on the staff was quoted as at least talking about Hyde at safety. I'd still prefer a mid range UFA safety even if Hyde is switched. Failing that I'd still prefer a safety in the first three rounds if it makes sense when those picks are made, even if Hyde is switched. Beyond finding another safety it wouldn't be a bad idea to light a competitive fire under Burnett's ****.

I don't think HaHa will be available when the Packers pick. However, there should be some 'solid' safeties available in the 2nd to the 3rd.

I think any of:

Calvin Pryor, S, Louisville
Dion Bailey, S, USCDeone Bucannon, S, Washington State

would be able to immediately step in and contribute and one of them should be there are out 2nd.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Great idea, move another one of our guys out of his normal position and hope the defense gets better.

Jarrett Boykin is slower than most other WRs, maybe he can play safety as well.

 

[Jordyruns]

I don't think HaHa will be available when the Packers pick. However, there should be some 'solid' safeties available in the 2nd to the 3rd.

I think any of:

Calvin Pryor, S, Louisville
Dion Bailey, S, USCDeone Bucannon, S, Washington State

would be able to immediately step in and contribute and one of them should be there are out 2nd.

Waltetfootball is reporting TT is talking with and scouting Tre Boston of UNC. He seems to be a late second to third round pick from what I have read.

http://walterfootball.com/eastwest2014interviews3.php

 

[TJV]

Great idea, move another one of our guys out of his normal position and hope the defense gets better.

Hyde doesn't have the speed to be an outside CB. He mostly played the slot receiver, like Heyward did last season. Since Heyward should return healthy, safety is an obvious option for Hyde. Why not have Williams/House, Shields (if he returns) at CB, Heyward as the nickel, and Burnett and Hyde at safety? Certainly worth considering, or would you rather have Hyde back up Heyward and play in the dime?

 

[rodell330]

Been calling for this all season! the Packers could have more freedom with the 1st pick by not having to add a safety early. Hyde reminds me of Malcom Jenkins who was a great corner at OSU but was converted to safety because of his knack for the ball was to good to have him sitting on the bench.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Hyde doesn't have the speed to be an outside CB. He mostly played the slot receiver, like Heyward did last season. Since Heyward should return healthy, safety is an obvious option for Hyde. Why not have Williams/House, Shields (if he returns) at CB, Heyward as the nickel, and Burnett and Hyde at safety? Certainly worth considering, or would you rather have Hyde back up Heyward and play in the dime?

Because I think Burnett needs somebody to help him out, not another guy who still has to be taught how to play safety.

 

[easyk83]

Been calling for this all season! the Packers could have more freedom with the 1st pick by not having to add a safety early. Hyde reminds me of Malcom Jenkins who was a great corner at OSU but was converted to safety because of his knack for the ball was to good to have him sitting on the bench.

I think it worked out for the best. Moving from outside corner in College to nickle was probably an easier transition. Since the Nickelback in Dom's scheme is practically a hybrid safety corner let's think of Hyde's first year as a transitional year. Next season when he's moved to SS it won't be a completely new position for him.

 

[El Guapo]

Because I think Burnett needs somebody to help him out, not another guy who still has to be taught how to play safety.

I don't think being taught how to play safety is the real issue, as he's played it before. The real issue is learning how to play it in this defense. From that perspective, Hyde is one step ahead of any draftee, UDFA, or street free agent.

I wouldn't mind the move, although the one problem that I see is that it's unlikely that Williams, House, Shields, and Hayward will all be available. Our injury history makes it likely that one or two of those guys will be injured, on top of the possibility that Shields leaves in FA.

So that's my only issue with moving Hyde, is that we lose an important backup at the CB position. The upside though, is that it's easier to bring in a CB than a safety to this defense.

 

[easyk83]

I don't think being taught how to play safety is the real issue, as he's played it before. The real issue is learning how to play it in this defense. From that perspective, Hyde is one step ahead of any draftee, UDFA, or street free agent.

I wouldn't mind the move, although the one problem that I see is that it's unlikely that Williams, House, Shields, and Hayward will all be available. Our injury history makes it likely that one or two of those guys will be injured, on top of the possibility that Shields leaves in FA.

So that's my only issue with moving Hyde, is that we lose an important backup at the CB position. The upside though, is that it's easier to bring in a CB than a safety to this defense.

With our history there's always a chance that the team plane might fall out of the sky.

 

[FrankRizzo]

Great idea, move another one of our guys out of his normal position and hope the defense gets better.

He's always been able to play both corner and safety. That's not a bad thing.
To me, he seems best suited for safety not cornerback.

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[adambr2]

I'm fine with the idea, just not the idea of that being our only plan for fixing the safety problem.

Don't get me wrong, I think Hyde might make for a fine safety, but we need more up our sleeve for safety this year via draft or FA than penciling in a 2nd year converted corner as starting FS.

 

[Carl]

I think it's worth a shot, but if he's only average, gotta switch him back. His potential at corner looks really high right now.

 

[NelsonsLongCatch]

Been calling for this all season! the Packers could have more freedom with the 1st pick by not having to add a safety early. Hyde reminds me of Malcom Jenkins who was a great corner at OSU but was converted to safety because of his knack for the ball was to good to have him sitting on the bench.

The only problem is that Malcolm Jenkins is also a bad safety. His play at safety led to the Saints drafting Kenny Vaccaro 15th overall last year.

 

[D3uc3]

I don't think HaHa will be available when the Packers pick. However, there should be some 'solid' safeties available in the 2nd to the 3rd.

I think any of:

Calvin Pryor, S, Louisville
Dion Bailey, S, USCDeone Bucannon, S, Washington State

would be able to immediately step in and contribute and one of them should be there are out 2nd.

HA HA Clinton-Dix or Calvin Pryor will becoming to Green Bay many draft experts have Pryor going over Clinton-Dix and after researching the two If Pryor is in some areas a slight bit higher than Dix so either way we will get a Playmaking Safety and converting Hyde is bound to happen and given that Burnett played like trash this season so he may just make Burnett step his game up if nothing more than adding depth, Another option is Capers uses his as he did Woodson given his interchangeability and his experience under Capers system he has proven to be a occasional playmaker.

 

[D3uc3]

Un

I'm fine with the idea, just not the idea of that being our only plan for fixing the safety problem.

Don't get me wrong, I think Hyde might make for a fine safety, but we need more up our sleeve for safety this year via draft or FA than penciling in a 2nd year converted corner as starting FS.

Undoubtedly we will be taking a safety first round but Hyde converting is more so for depth we only have two returning safeties Jennings and Banjo won't be back next season also I think the convert maybe to step up Hyde's tackling for him to be a jack of all trades for Capers he likes interchangeable weapons as a DB.

 

[HyponGrey]

Hyde was Turribad at Safety at Iowa the one season he played it, and projects to SS in our system IMO. While Hyde may make for a workable compliment to Burnett since both of them could be considered S tweeners, I don't think that pairing would maximize either. With S being such a reps reliant position I wouldn expect to see Hyde pull any kind of full time duty there. Expect more of the Woodson "Rover" role some have been misguidedly saying we needed to draft somebody for when we already had that guy, as well as a former ROY candidate who can play and (in Hayward's case) have played that spot.

 

[HardRightEdge]

I'd like to continue recent discussions elsewhere about Hyde's play at safety at Iowa.

Here's what I've been able to glean about the situation.

He practiced at safety in 2011 spring drills and was installed at starting free safety for the first 2 games of that season. After being upset by Iowa St. in the second of those two games, Hyde was moved back to CB.

Evidently, his safety play was not well received in some quarters.

Here's one commentary on the matter:

"He played safety at Iowa for a spell, didn't he? He did. Kinda. In 2011, temporary personnel shortcomings forced him to safety in the early part of the year, and he was still at safety in a secondary that got incinerated by Iowa State QB Steele Jantz, who truly might be fictional, in a stunning 44-41 defeat. Hyde was victimized repeatedly in the defeat and looked out of sorts trying to make multiple reads before and at the snap. As soon as safety Jordan Bernstine (2012 draft pick of the Redskins) returned to the lineup, Hyde was shuttled back to cornerback and we never spoke of the safety experiment again." >> http://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2013/4/26/4269086/micah-hyde-nfl-draft-profile-iowa-2013

Now, in that 44-41 upset, Iowa St. scored 20 of those point in OT. Here's the tape of the OT. Hyde is #18:

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Can anybody point to anything he did poorly in this tape other than the horse collar (which has nothing to do with safety credentials)?

I see Hyde defending a 3rd. down end zone pass; I see him coming off a double team to jump another receiver's route for what looks like a "just missed"; I don't see any completions against him; looking at the jersey's after the tackles I judge that all runs were going away from him; and I don't see any "out of sorts" reads (something GB fans would recognize from recent years).

If Bernstine came back to play at safety and Hyde was moved back to CB (where he was the Big 10 DB of the Year), and all one knew about the situation was this OT tape, one would conclude the problem wasn't Hyde.

Certainly, the OT tape does not tell the whole story behind what transpired in two full games. I'd like to see if anybody has any additional first hand input on the matter...direct observation, more tape, specific examples.

 

[HardRightEdge]

Here's a follow-up note. Of Hyde's two alleged "horrible" games at safety when at Iowa, the first was against Tennessee Tech, a game Iowa won 34-7 against an over matched team. Here's the box score:

http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=312462294

Note the T. Tech QB's stat line. There's nothing there to suggest other than good Iowa DB play in that game.

According to the play-by-play, Hyde made the tackle on Garrett's 37 yd. reception, T. Tech's one long pass play; it's impossible to say if Hyde was beat on that play without the tape. The Iowa announcers concluded a post game two-minute wrap up saying they needed to shore up the run D.

 

[Just|Me]

basically I don't have any problems with that move. As Jordyruns pointed out Hyde won't be an ideal fit at CB except the slot position. So why not taking a chance moving him to FS as long as it doens't mean this will be the only answer this offseason to our FS problems.

On the other hand: Bush isn't a good CB either and they never moved him to S despite the fact he seems to be more natural facing the QB instead of turning his back to him.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I'd like to continue recent discussions elsewhere about Hyde's play at safety at Iowa.

Here's what I've been able to glean about the situation.

He practiced at safety in 2011 spring drills and was installed at starting free safety for the first 2 games of that season. After being upset by Iowa St. in the second of those two games, Hyde was moved back to CB.

Evidently, his safety play was not well received in some quarters.

Here's one commentary on the matter:

"He played safety at Iowa for a spell, didn't he? He did. Kinda. In 2011, temporary personnel shortcomings forced him to safety in the early part of the year, and he was still at safety in a secondary that got incinerated by Iowa State QB Steele Jantz, who truly might be fictional, in a stunning 44-41 defeat. Hyde was victimized repeatedly in the defeat and looked out of sorts trying to make multiple reads before and at the snap. As soon as safety Jordan Bernstine (2012 draft pick of the Redskins) returned to the lineup, Hyde was shuttled back to cornerback and we never spoke of the safety experiment again." >> http://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2013/4/26/4269086/micah-hyde-nfl-draft-profile-iowa-2013

Now, in that 44-41 upset, Iowa St. scored 20 of those point in OT. Here's the tape of the OT. Hyde is #18:

You must be logged in to see this image or video!

Can anybody point to anything he did poorly in this tape other than the horse collar (which has nothing to do with safety credentials)?

I see Hyde defending a 3rd. down end zone pass; I see him coming off a double team to jump another receiver's route for what looks like a "just missed"; I don't see any completions against him; looking at the jersey's after the tackles I judge that all runs were going away from him; and I don't see any "out of sorts" reads (something GB fans would recognize from recent years).

If Bernstine came back to play at safety and Hyde was moved back to CB (where he was the Big 10 DB of the Year), and all one knew about the situation was this OT tape, one would conclude the problem wasn't Hyde.

Certainly, the OT tape does not tell the whole story behind what transpired in two full games. I'd like to see if anybody has any additional first hand input on the matter...direct observation, more tape, specific examples.

That's actually the only info I found about Hyde playing safety as well. No matter how he played over that two games though the sample size is not big enough to make a fair judgement.

Don't get me wrong, I'm in favour of moving him to safety and see what he's capable of doing there as long as it is not the only move the Packers do to strengthen the currently weakest position on the roster.

BTW NOMOFO won't like your post as I'm quite sure you had to look up some of the stuff.

 

[HardRightEdge]

That's actually the only info I found about Hyde playing safety as well. No matter how he played over that two games though the sample size is not big enough to make a fair judgement.

Don't get me wrong, I'm in favour of moving him to safety and see what he's capable of doing there as long as it is not the only move the Packers do to strengthen the currently weakest position on the roster.

BTW NOMOFO won't like your post as I'm quite sure you had to look up some of the stuff.

So, could we entertain the possibility that Hyde's rep as a horrible safety at Iowa may stem from Jacobi's comments ricocheting around the echo chamber? This certainly wouldn't be the first (or last) piece of junk reporting to be found at SB Nation.

There's another tape of the Iowa St. game highlights, but I was reluctant to bring it up since it's shot from the sidelines. However, if all one knew of the situation was these 2 tapes, the conclusion would be that Hyde didn't move back to CB because he sucked at safety. He moved back because #2 needed to be benched.

 

[HardRightEdge]

basically I don't have any problems with that move. As Jordyruns pointed out Hyde won't be an ideal fit at CB except the slot position. So why not taking a chance moving him to FS as long as it doens't mean this will be the only answer this offseason to our FS problems.

On the other hand: Bush isn't a good CB either and they never moved him to S despite the fact he seems to be more natural facing the QB instead of turning his back to him.

Well, sure, but it comes down to how you hedge your bets. If you like Hyde's skills and fit, even if he's unproven, then you don't spend a 1st. round pick at the position (for a guy, one might add, who is also an unproven NFL player) when there are significant needs elsewhere.

Even if Hyde does work out, the reserves are Richardson, Jennings (restricted FA), Banjo, and Bush in an emergency. Richardson might turn into something at SS, but he's spent so much time injured his development puts him at least another year away. I don't think we'll see much more out of him in 2014 than what we saw at the end of last season...some spot duty, maybe third safety in some dime, like that. Jennings, Banjo and Bush are "just guys". So, there is plenty of room to bring in some competition for Hyde figuring worst case that guy would upgrade the #3 or #4 safety spot.

That would be something along the lines of a 3rd. rounder or below, or maybe a vet with some tread left on the tires.