Who should start at SAFETY?

[brandon2348]

There is no need to crucify you. The Richardson to ILB is not a terrible idea, but I am not sure if Richardson can actually put on 15-20 lbs of good weight.

This is precisely my point. Richardson is a 4.4-4.5 guy at 216. Barrington is a 4.6 guy at 240. Is Richardson really going to be able to add that weight and maintain his speed?

I really like what I have seen from Barrington playing the inside on Dime and I haven't given up on Joe Thomas.

 

[SoonerPack]

This is precisely my point. Richardson is a 4.4-4.5 guy at 216. Barrington is a 4.6 guy at 240. Is Richardson really going to be able to add that weight and maintain his speed?

I really like what I have seen from Barrington playing the inside on Dime and I haven't given up on Joe Thomas.

I agree with both of you. I am a Richardson fan just trying to come up with some hair-brained idea to get him on the field. Guilty as charged!

 

[brandon2348]

I agree with both of you. I am a Richardson fan just trying to come up with some hair-brained idea to get him on the field. Guilty as charged!

Hey, I wanna see on Richardson on the field too.

 

[Carl]

Awesome how in one season we went from two awful starters by default to having so many good guys we don't know who they will start. There have even been reports of Banjo playing well and he's the number 5 safety.

 

[brandon2348]

Isn't it? Part of it is still that all of our S's have question marks so none of them have grabbed the starting job, but then again it's pretty obvious that our current guys going 5 deep aren't as bad as 2 guys who started for us last year (Jennings and McMillian)!

I think the S position can show us how a roster can change pretty drastically in 1 year. So how did our S position change so drastically? First, we added a 1st rounder. Second, we got Richardson back from injury. Third, we switched Hyde from more of a CB to more of a S/CB. Fourth, a younger guy in Banjo (and don't get me started about how guys like Banjo didn't start over MD Jennings....it's yet another Capers failure) is more experienced now.

Sorry to get away form the discussion a little bit, but I think what happened to the S position this year might happen at ILB next year. I have a strong feeling we will draft a guy highly, Lattimore will be gaining experience, I heard Bradford will be trying out ILB and if he sticks with the team my make an official transition in time for next year. Brad Jones is currently injured, but he should be back. So right now our ILB position looks pretty average, but I think by the start of next year it will look much better.

Speaking of linebackers I am looking forward to watching this guy get a heavy dose of reps Thursdayl

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[realcaliforniacheese]

I've been talking with a few very knowledgeable fans on another site about the safeties.
The ring-leader there has always disliked Morgan Burnett, did not want to draft him coming out of Georgia Tech.
He also wanted Calvin Pryor, not HaHa Clinton Dix this year.

It's a tough call who should start for is.
Sean Richardson has made plays consistently in practices and when playing in preseason games.
He's big, strong too.

I don't think Burnett should start.
I don't think it's a fluke we've struggled back there since Collins left in week 2 of 2011.

Hyde is a good tackler, and physical, but he was the main culprit on MJD's touchdown run the other night.
Hawk and HaHa also overpursued.

Which combo do you think should start for us?

ME PLEASE!! PICK ME!!!!!!!!

 

[Bensalama21]

Awesome how in one season we went from two awful starters by default to having so many good guys we don't know who they will start. There have even been reports of Banjo playing well and he's the number 5 safety.

Just imagine if we still had Collins.. Although we wouldn't have drafted HaHa.

 

[PackerFanLV]

HaHa and Hyde, i would say burnett but he was getting fried last year and his tackling was all arm tackles. I was like damn burnett smack somebody and he never did all year long. Make them respect us. Ha Ha at strong saftey and Hyde at free saftey. just IMO

 

[brandon2348]

Just imagine if we still had Collins.. Although we wouldn't have drafted HaHa.

HaHa and Hyde, i would say burnett but he was getting fried last year and his tackling was all arm tackles. I was like damn burnett smack somebody and he never did all year long. Make them respect us. Ha Ha at strong saftey and Hyde at free saftey. just IMO

Yep, That's what I a have been saying. Throw Dix at SS at throw Hyde up top. Everyone keeps giving Burnett passes and we all know it's because of his contract.

 

[PackerFanLV]

Yep, That's what I a have been saying. Throw Dix at SS at throw Hyde up top. Everyone keeps giving Burnett passes and we all know it's because of his contract.

Hyde has it I think he is something special developing. Burnett contract has just have to be that, we want RESPECT on D and with burnett back there i dont think it will happen. Put the Alabama kid back there let him do his thing.

 

[brandon2348]

Hyde has it I think he is something special developing. Burnett contract has just have to be that, we want RESPECT on D and with burnett back there i dont think it will happen. Put the Alabama kid back there let him do his thing.

Yep and when your SS safety is getting "trucked" you get no respect. Everyone was talking about Dix being a back end safety but he showed me some skills I didn't know he had. He has great nose for ball and he isn't afraid to fly up and smack. Burnett just seems tentative to me sometimes. That's not good.

 

[brandon2348]

I don't think this is the year to drop Burnett as a starter, though. I think you need to keep 1 guy who knows the system back there to work with a younger S. When Dix knows what he's doing a little better than I would feel more comfortable moving on from Burnett, but this year we need to see what Burnett can do without complete incompetence opposite him. Say what you want about Burnett, but he's not completely incompetent like Jennings was.

I get it. I am hoping for the best. He had a nice pass break up against the Raiders. We really need our SS to come up and provide solid run support as were going smaller up front. There going to start him week 1 and I think we will know sooner then later on him. I really want him to do well but just frustrated. Last year was some of the worse safety play I have ever seen and it wasn't just the lack of interceptions. I am glad those other two jokers are gone. At least this year there are other guys to put in if things go array.

 

[packrule81]

Burnett has not played well since receiving his "big" contract. I'm not saying we drop him this year but he hasn't played up to his deal which is about $4 mil a year. I think he will start the season with Hyde. Dix has similar size to Burnett, just a little bigger and seems to play the run much better than I expected when we drafted him. I really like what I've seen to this point but doubt they play him over Burnett that early in the season. Probably gonna give him some time but depending on how Burnett plays during the year potentially bring Dix in as the starter. Hyde has just impressed since he first came to the team. Has all the skills to be on the field and the only reason they moved him to safety was because they were to deep at CB and wanted him on the field at all times. I'm also a huge fan of Richardson who IMO will basically play ILB in the dime. He has good enough coverage skills to play against a TE or RB but also can come down and hit somebody. I am trying to give Burnett a chance but the other 3 guys all seem to be play makers so he better show what he can do early this year or he won't be on the field long.

 

[SoonerPack]

There are several permutations possible in nickel and dime. Dougherty did a piece on it a couple of weeks back:

http://www.packersnews.com/story/sp...ing-in-on-nickel-and-dime-personnel/14030681/

As noted in the piece, they've been working on House taking cover corner and Williams moving to slot. We've seen some of this in the preseason.

Whitt intends to settle on a set substitution come game time:

"When we get to the games we're going to make a decision, 'This is the top guy, this is the second guy, this is the third guy, and this is how it's going to be.'"

But as Dougherty notes, "Defensive coordinator Dom Capers also could change his personnel week to week during the regular season, depending on the match-ups. For instance, House is the Packers' biggest cornerback, so Capers might prefer him on the field against a team with a tall receiver or two."

Not noted in the article, but something to consider, is how the blitz/man vs. blitz/zone preference for a particular game works out. Shields-House-Williams puts the fastest group on the field and the best man-coverage group. Hayward and Hyde are stronger in zone. Also, the intent to use DB blitzes in particular games would favor the strongest man cover group in nickel and dime.

Further, we saw 3-safety dimes on the field in the latter part of the season with Burnett-Jennings-Richardson. We could see a 3-safety dime combo again with Richardson against certain opponents where the TEs and TBs are more physical than fast or crafty.

The pecking order may be fluid as performance is demonstrated in prime time. In recent years we've seen House and Bush elevated on the depth chart based on strong camps and preseasons only to be sent back to the bench in short order. The prime-time consistency of House, Dix and to some extent Hyde and Richardson has not yet been fully explored.

The DB group is deep especially with all hands on deck, injury wise, with several players able swing positions. I'd expect some committee work based on match ups. And then, it's unrealistic to think nobody will get dinged up and need to miss a few games.

Very articulate post. Well done HRE, well done.

 

[brandon2348]

Once again Clinton-Dix looked really good last night against the run. IMO he is our best run support/ tackler defensive back. He came up ******* one play and just smacked the running back down in his tracks last night.

I believe they will start Dix and Burnett at safety in the opener but I also believe we will see a Dix/Burnett/Hyde all on the field at the same time in some packages the defense runs which I think is great. Last night I saw it early on with Richardson/Hyde/Dix.

 

[BenLinus]

Burnett and haha

 

[FrankRizzo]

I don't think this is the year to drop Burnett as a starter, though. I think you need to keep 1 guy who knows the system back there to work with a younger S. When Dix knows what he's doing a little better than I would feel more comfortable moving on from Burnett, but this year we need to see what Burnett can do without complete incompetence opposite him. Say what you want about Burnett, but he's not completely incompetent like Jennings was.

What happened to this guy? Banned?

Nothing wrong with what he said here, although I do think we can upgrade from Burnett right now, barring injuries.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I do think we can upgrade from Burnett right now, barring injuries.

The coaches like Burnett for being able to make the proper coverage calls in the secondary which Hyde and Clinton-Dix aren't up to the task with at the moment.

That doesn't mean that at some point both of them could turn into better options than Burnett.

 

[I_am_smoked_cheddar]

GO PACK GO!!

 

[I_am_smoked_cheddar]

Start Burnett and Hyde, use Clinton - Dix for the nickel .

 

[wingrider47]

Actually I'm thinking Hyde & HaHa, Burnett is too soft to hit someone and is always late getting to a play.

 

[PackerDNA]

If not sooner than later, I see Hyde and HaHa, and possibly even Richardson, being better and more impact players than Burnett, who frankly doesn't offer much of anything.