Clinton-Dix traded to Redskins

[Deleted member 6794]

If Pettine continues to use him as he has thus far, in the box and as a blitzer, I can see him becoming something of a fan favorite.

The Packers need a free safety as Clinton-Dix played 66.5% of his snaps there though.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

To be fair, they don't have a S on the practice squad because the one who would have been a candidate, Raven Greene, they liked enough to keep on the 53 man roster.

With or without Raven Greene, its hard to deny that the position was probably the weakest one that the Packers had before Dix was cut and even weaker now. With the trade deadline passed, I foresee it as being an issue for the rest of the season, I hope I am wrong.

 

[Mondio]

I have a feeling moving HaHa has been in thw works for a while. They have a plan and now we get to see if it works. I think the only reason HaHa was still playing so much was because he’s decent and teams seeing him play would keep his name relevant. I don’t think they made this move thinking it was better to get something even if it kills our secondary because they don’t have players who can play

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I have a feeling moving HaHa has been in thw works for a while. They have a plan and now we get to see if it works. I think the only reason HaHa was still playing so much was because he’s decent and teams seeing him play would keep his name relevant. I don’t think they made this move thinking it was better to get something even if it kills our secondary because they don’t have players who can play

I hope you're right but in my opinion aside of Brice, who has struggled this season, there's not a single player on the roster best suited to line up at free safety after trading Clinton-Dix.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I don't view the trading of Dix or Montgomery as ones that were meant to improve the team from a talent and ability standpoint, but moves to try to rid the team of two malcontents that players, coaches and Gute saw as negatives on the team.

 

[Mondio]

Don’t discount what removing negatives can do for a team. It was obvious Monty was done after teammate comments and his own. I never got the feeling haha was a leader in the secondary or someone they guys looked to. He was just there.

 

[PackAttack12]

I don't view the trading of Dix or Montgomery as ones that were meant to improve the team from a talent and ability standpoint, but moves to try to rid the team of two malcontents that players, coaches and Gute saw as negatives on the team.

Don’t discount what removing negatives can do for a team. It was obvious Monty was done after teammate comments and his own. I never got the feeling haha was a leader in the secondary or someone they guys looked to. He was just there.

Couldn't agree more.

I don't think either of these moves suggested that the Packers don't feel they are contenders this season. I think that's beside the issue. The issue in my opinion is that you've had a guy running his mouth about playing for another team and that's a distraction that the team doesn't need. Yes, he was a viable player, but pulling the trigger on a trade to get value back for a player you aren't going to re-sign anyway, who also happens to be a negative impact in the locker room doesn't have to be mutually exclusive with still trying to win football games.

I think it was a good move for the presently constructed Green Bay Packers, and obviously for the future. I can promise you the Packers are not mailing in the season. We're going to be fine.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Don’t discount what removing negatives can do for a team. It was obvious Monty was done after teammate comments and his own. I never got the feeling haha was a leader in the secondary or someone they guys looked to. He was just there.

I think that is the hope of Gute and the coaches. Monty was less of a surprise due to his insubordination being so ***** and fresh. HaHa I think, as you said in an earlier post, had been on that path for quite awhile now and fans and maybe coaches were willing to overlook it for awhile due to him being the best S on the team. Just a crappy time in my opinion to cut the cancer at a position of such weakness. Monty's abilities were fully expendable, Dix not so much.

I actually feel a bit sorry for Monty, unless there is more to the story than just Sunday. He had a total mental breakdown over the course of what 10 minutes? I'm not making excuses for the guy, but if that was his only "crime" and up to that point he had been a great teammate, he paid a big price. A player like Dix on the other hand, if he was truly a bad seed on the team and brought negative energy to practice, the sidelines and the playing field, those are the guys you need to purge ASAP.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I don't view the trading of Dix or Montgomery as ones that were meant to improve the team from a talent and ability standpoint, but moves to try to rid the team of two malcontents that players, coaches and Gute saw as negatives on the team.

I don't think either of these moves suggested that the Packers don't feel they are contenders this season. I think that's beside the issue. The issue in my opinion is that you've had a guy running his mouth about playing for another team and that's a distraction that the team doesn't need. Yes, he was a viable player, but pulling the trigger on a trade to get value back for a player you aren't going to re-sign anyway, who also happens to be a negative impact in the locker room doesn't have to be mutually exclusive with still trying to win football games.

I don't care if Clinton-Dix had a negative impact in the locker room. The Packers trading him made the team even worse at an already thin position. I'm quite sure the team would have been able to figure out a way to get along with him for another nine games.

 

[PackAttack12]

Also - as I've mentioned before. Gutekunst is establishing a culture and sending a message. Don't think you're gonna yap your trap and cause problems and expect to remain on the team. And don't think we're going to tolerate or excuse direct insubordination and throwing tantrums on the sidelines because you don't like how much playing time you're getting.

We'll gift you a one way ticket the hell out of town.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I don't care if Clinton-Dix had a negative impact in the locker room. The Packers trading him made the team even worse at an already thin position. I'm quite sure the team would have been able to figure out a way to get along with him for another nine games.

I kind of go back to the Josh Sitton situation with this and Sitton was a far more talented player than HHCD in my opinion. The Packers finally had enough of Sitton and said "you know what, we have guys who want to play on this team and even if they aren't as good as you, pack your stuff we will take our chances." At least in this situation, the Packers got some value, much more than had HHCD been just outright cut in a few weeks because his started to really stink.

 

[PackAttack12]

I don't care if Clinton-Dix had a negative impact in the locker room. The Packers trading him made the team even worse at an already thin position. I'm quite sure the team would have been able to figure out a way to get along with him for another nine games.

It doesn't bother me in the slightest that the Packers are adapting the culture a little more toward the line of thinking of Belichick and the Patriots. You can argue about negative impact on the field all you want. I like it.

Maybe there won't be another player that steps into Clinton-Dix's role and performs quite to the same level. That much is certainly debatable. But I have no reason to believe that Gutekunst doesn't have a plan and is waving a white flag on this season when we're right in the thick of the division race.

 

[Mondio]

I can promise you the Packers are not mailing in the season. We're going to be fine.

not by a long shot. You don't pay your QB 30 million a year to pack it in before you've even played half your games and you're a half or 1 game back from a division lead against a team you've beaten already. If they didn't feel comfortable making the move, they wouldn't have. I've fine it. Even going back to when Randall was here. I think a lot of the friction was actually from HaHa. Randall is a headcase, he was the easy target for everyone. HaHa was the probowler and steady seemingly. though so many times a guy wasn't where he was supposed to be and many times I think it was HaHa.

 

[Dantés]

The Packers need a free safety as Clinton-Dix played 66.5% of his snaps there though.

My guess (that's all it is) is that that will be Brice more often than not.

 

[Dantés]

With or without Raven Greene, its hard to deny that the position was probably the weakest one that the Packers had before Dix was cut and even weaker now. With the trade deadline passed, I foresee it as being an issue for the rest of the season, I hope I am wrong.

Oh, I think you're probably right. I have just seen a number of people make that comment regarding the practice squad, and I think it's a little misleading as Greene actually made the 53.

 

[HardRightEdge]

I've seen a lot of speculation that the Packers are going to move Williams to safety, but I have a different theory. While I'm sure Tramon will play a safety role on some snaps, as he did a bit on Sunday and as Jackson has at times, I think Jermaine Whitehead is the guy who will see the big uptick moving forward.
SSOn Sunday, the Packers were in dime almost 100% of the time.

Calling it "dime" is questionable. Whitehead was playing hybrid ILB in place of Burks. Whitehead had that 96% snap count while Burks had 10%. We wouldn't call it "dime" if those snap counts were flipped, would we?

Box safety vs. hybrid ILB is a distinction without a difference is terms of player characteristics. However, I would characterize a box safety as a complement to the ILB pair where he's there for run downs or blitz or taking an ILBs coverage role if that ILB blitzes or playing man press against a TE. That not what Whitehead was doing against the Rams. He was the second ILB on nearly every down.

The question becomes who among the safety group is capable of taking C-Ds place in high coverage. Brice struggles. Brice, Whitehead and Jones are all in what we used to call, and should still call, the SS mode, guys you would not want playing centerfield in single high safety. Greene is a rookie UDFA out of James Madison who has yet to take a defensive snap; it's fair to say he's not going to be more than a special teamer at least for this season.

Williams would make the most sense with one proviso. He's under contract for next season with a $6.375 mil cap number, $4.75 mil cap savings. If they are comfortable with those numbers for a starting FS then the Packers might as well find out now if Williams is that guy. Otherwise, they should try one of these other guys to see where they stand for next season, but I doubt the results will lead to anything other than going another way in the draft or FA.

The best free safety on this roster is likely Alexander even if he's never played there, but he also happens to be the best corner so that's not happening.

 

[HardRightEdge]

My guess (that's all it is) is that that will be Brice more often than not.

That's a possiblity. However, Brice in single high is a problem waiting to happen.

 

[Mondio]

So, any chance the "anonymous source" after the Montgomery fumble was Dix blowing steam? 2 birds one stone?

 

[Cheese Headed Monster]

I think Williams will do fine for now at safety. While he isn't as athletically skilled (anymore) as Dix is, I would feel confident in saying that he is much smarter. Basketball reference: When MJ couldn't dunk like he used to, he developed his outside game. What Williams lacks in athletic ability I feel can be made up for in knowledge and maturity at the position. With Alexander being the stud he is, that should make William's job easier as well. You don't have to be diving all over swatting balls and getting INT's, just be in position to help your teammates recover and get back in the play. Something Dix did not do very well.

 

[Dantés]

Calling it "dime" is questionable. Whitehead was playing hybrid ILB in place of Burks. Whitehead had that 96% snap count while Burks had 10%. We wouldn't call it "dime" if those snap counts were flipped, would we?

Box safety vs. hybrid ILB is a distinction without a difference is terms of player characteristics. However, I would characterize a box safety as a complement to the ILB pair where he's there for run downs or blitz or taking an ILBs coverage role if that ILB blitzes or playing man press against a TE. That not what Whitehead was doing against the Rams. He was the second ILB on nearly every down.

The question becomes who among the safety group is capable of taking C-Ds place in high coverage. Brice struggles. Brice, Whitehead and Jones are all in what we used to call, and should still call, the SS mode, guys you would not want playing centerfield in single high safety. Greene is a rookie UDFA out of James Madison who has yet to take a defensive snap; it's fair to say he's not going to be more than a special teamer at least for this season.

Williams would make the most sense with one proviso. He's under contract for next season with a $6.375 mil cap number, $4.75 mil cap savings. If they are comfortable with those numbers for a starting FS then the Packers might as well find out now if Williams is that guy. Otherwise, they should try one of these other guys to see where they stand for next season, but I doubt the results will lead to anything other than going another way in the draft or FA.

The best free safety on this roster is likely Alexander even if he's never played there, but he also happens to be the best corner so that's not happening.

Dime refers to personnel, not alignment. If you have 6 DB's on the field, you're in dime. You almost never see dime without one of those 6 DB's having some sort of "linebacker" responsibilities.

I think we will see Whitehead take on the SS role full time, while Brice and Williams share the load of replacing CD's FS role. I agree though that Brice in single high carries a lot of risk.

 

[weeds]

Service? I hope that was tongue in cheek.

Not at all tongue-in-cheek. Never really feel the need to kick a guy in the @ss as he's being driven out the door.

 

[HardRightEdge]

Dime refers to personnel, not alignment. If you have 6 DB's on the field, you're in dime. You almost never see dime without one of those 6 DB's having some sort of "linebacker" responsibilities.

That's correct. Except Whithead was not playing a DB position since he was assigned ILB responsibilities on nearly every snap. The point being, an "S" next to his name on the roster is meaningless if he is in fact playing an ILB role.

 

[gbgary]

Tramon can play safety, maybe Breeland, maybe Josh Jackson. i'm guessing Tramon or Breeland right out of the box.

 

[Dantés]

That's correct. Except Whithead was not playing a DB position since he was assigned ILB responsibilities on nearly every snap. The point being, an "S" next to his name on the roster is meaningless if he is in fact playing an ILB role.

Disagree. If that were true, then "dime" would essentially not exist. It almost always features a safety in a linebacker's role. Dime refers to personnel on the field. Whitehead was one of six defensive backs on the field. Hence, they were in dime. This is merely semantics, as we don't disagree about what the defense was doing, so I'll leave it there.

 

[BrokenArrow]

Not at all tongue-in-cheek. Never really feel the need to kick a guy in the @ss as he's being driven out the door.

I guess what I'm saying is I would hardly call playing a game for millions of dollars any kind of "service. "