Randall and Rollins

[Ace]

http://gnb.247sports.com/Bolt/Randall-Rollins-Described-as-Mirrors-in-Packers-Secondary-37258283

I thought this was an interesting analysis of these 2 and IMO sheds some light on why we maybe went this way in the 1st 2 rounds.

 

[Vrill]

Good article, but I think its been discussed here how versatile those two picks are for us. They can line up and practically play anywhere in the secondary.

 

[El Guapo]

At their ages and with their athleticism, both should be willing to try anything to make a starting roster. It's all about the $$$

 

[JBlood]

Capers' and LeBeau's defenses are as complicated as any in football, and usually thrive when veterans are on the field. I'll be pleasantly surprised if a couple of rookies--1 of whom has played college football 1 year-- shine in it.

 

[rodell330]

Capers' and LeBeau's defenses are as complicated as any in football, and usually thrive when veterans are on the field. I'll be pleasantly surprised if a couple of rookies--1 of whom has played college football 1 year-- shine in it.

I agree. Rarely do rookies make great impacts right away in Capers system. Matthews was the exception because he played with? Wait for it some great veterans and he was good at his ASSINGMENT. Having guys like Charles Woodson, Nick Collins, Ryan Pickett, And Cullen Jenkins helped Matthews tremendously.

 

[AmishMafia]

I agree. Rarely do rookies make great impacts right away in Capers system. Matthews was the exception because he played with? Wait for it some great veterans and he was good at his ASSINGMENT. Having guys like Charles Woodson, Nick Collins, Ryan Pickett, And Cullen Jenkins helped Matthews tremendously.

And these rookies will be playing with some great veterans like CM3, Peppers, Raji, and Daniels.

 

[TJV]

On the most recent Sidelines show, Wilde said he was extremely impressed with the way Rollins moved in the first practice and he said he thinks Rollins has a good shot to start opposite Shields. Oates immediately chimed in with the obvious caveat about Rollins’ speed. Wilde also said he thinks Goodson may be the new Jarrett Bush on STs. They talked about the obvious comparison between the backgrounds of Rollins and Goodson but agreed Rollins moves better.

That Capers’ schemes are complicated and Thompson’s MO of draft and develop keeps the team one of the younger ones in the league puts a large burden on the assistant coaches. My impression is Joe Whitt, Jr. is one of the better ones on the staff and if one of the rookies can play the outside spot opposite Shields it’s perhaps the easiest spot in the secondary to learn.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I agree. Rarely do rookies make great impacts right away in Capers system. Matthews was the exception because he played with? Wait for it some great veterans and he was good at his ASSINGMENT. Having guys like Charles Woodson, Nick Collins, Ryan Pickett, And Cullen Jenkins helped Matthews tremendously.

Casey Hayward had a pretty good rookie season as well and finished third in the voting for defensive ROTY in 2012 (just like Matthews did in 2009).

 

[rodell330]

Casey Hayward had a pretty good rookie season as well and finished third in the voting for defensive ROTY in 2012 (just like Matthews did in 2009).

again he wasn't asked to do much but defend the slot. Woodson, Williams, Matthews, Pickett, and Hawk were in the team as well.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

again he wasn't asked to do much but defend the slot. Woodson, Williams, Matthews, Pickett, and Hawk were in the team as well.

Hayward played 21.9% of his cover snaps on the outside during his rookie season totaling four interceptions on only 95 snaps.

 

[rodell330]

Hayward played 21.9% of his cover snaps on the outside during his rookie season totaling four interceptions on only 95 snaps.

Ohhh I'm so glad you shared this because now i can post this to the guys who argue that Hayward can't play on the outside. I'd like to see them argue still after looking at this. This PROVES my point that you don't have to be a track star to play on the outside. Take the top 5. Corners in the NFL based on production and see how many run blazing 40 times. The "top 2" in many peoples books don't.

 

[HardRightEdge]

Ohhh I'm so glad you shared this because now i can post this to the guys who argue that Hayward can't play on the outside. I'd like to see them argue still after looking at this. This PROVES my point that you don't have to be a track star to play on the outside. Take the top 5. Corners in the NFL based on production and see how many run blazing 40 times. The "top 2" in many peoples books don't.

The question isn't whether Hayward can play on the outside. The question is whether he can play man coverage on the outside. Playing outside zone with topside help, with the relative freedom to jump a route, is one thing. Being on the island is a whole different matter.

 

[Vrill]

The question isn't whether Hayward can play on the outside. The question is whether he can play man coverage on the outside. Playing outside zone with topside help, with the relative freedom to jump a route, is one thing. Being on the island is a whole different matter.

And I kind of question if Hayward can play true man coverage myself. I guess we'll find out in due time though.

 

[rodell330]

And I kind of question if Hayward can play true man coverage myself. I guess we'll find out in due time though.

Again, why are you guys so concerned with his man coverage if Capers plays so much zone coverage? I have a feeling that when it does come time to play man He will slide inside to the slot anyways.

 

[GreenBaySlacker]

I agree. Rarely do rookies make great impacts right away in Capers system. Matthews was the exception because he played with? Wait for it some great veterans and he was good at his ASSINGMENT. Having guys like Charles Woodson, Nick Collins, Ryan Pickett, And Cullen Jenkins helped Matthews tremendously.

When the big boys up front wreck the O-line. Every ones job is easier...
Also, Craig Newsome was a rookie CB. Along with Doug Evans who was 2nd year . They were a huge part of our 3rd superbowl. Not a Capers scheme. But rookies can make an impact if played right.

 

[GreenBaySlacker]

Rollins seems to be getting alot of attention. Im curious what Randall would have done, had he not tweaked the ankle? I speculate that Rollins was on the list for CBs to be picked at #30. Randall just higher on the board obviously. But when Rollins was still available at #62, we had to take him. Now we got both. Im speculating when Randall gets healthy he will match what Rollins brings to the table. Which so far is very good it sounds like.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Again, why are you guys so concerned with his man coverage if Capers plays so much zone coverage? I have a feeling that when it does come time to play man He will slide inside to the slot anyways.

If you want the Packers to move Hayward inside when playing man coverage who do you want to take his spot on the outside???

Also, Craig Newsome was a rookie CB. Along with Doug Evans who was 2nd year . They were a huge part of our 3rd superbowl. Not a Capers scheme. But rookies can make an impact if played right.

Newsone was in his second season and Evans in his fourth when the Packers won the Super Bowl in 1996.

 

[Vrill]

Is it sounding like Rollins maybe a boundary corner for us? What is the word on him?

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Is it sounding like Rollins maybe a boundary corner for us? What is the word on him?

It seems like four defensive backs in Hayward, Randall, Rollins and Goodson will get a chance to compete for the starting spot opposite Shields. It should be interesting to see who´s going to win the job.

 

[Vrill]

I'm secretly hoping someone else other than Hayward starts opposite Shields so that Hayward can stay in the slot. I think Randall will be a Safety for us in certain packages.....so I guess that leaves either Rollins or Goodson....or perhaps that Undrafted rookie from Miami we picked up, Gunter?

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I'm secretly hoping someone else other than Hayward starts opposite Shields so that Hayward can stay in the slot. I think Randall will be a Safety for us in certain packages.....so I guess that leaves either Rollins or Goodson....or perhaps that Undrafted rookie from Miami we picked up, Gunter?

The best one out of the group will start outside as it´s the more important position compared to nickel or dime corner. Gunter, while having great size for an outside corner, doesn´t possess the speed (4.65 40 at his pro day while also having a terrible 20 yard shuttle and 3-cone drill) nor the athleticism (only 33 1/2 inch vertical) to play there.

 

[HardRightEdge]

Again, why are you guys so concerned with his man coverage if Capers plays so much zone coverage? I have a feeling that when it does come time to play man He will slide inside to the slot anyways.

Because he runs plenty of man coverage, and enough single-high safety that somebody is on the island even in some zone schemes.

 

[rodell330]

Because he runs plenty of man coverage, and enough single-high safety that somebody is on the island even in some zone schemes.

He runs enough..I wouldn't say "plenty".even then wouldn't you expect the more athletic and faster Shields to be the guy playing the man to man? Yea, I would.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

He runs enough..I wouldn't say "plenty".even then wouldn't you expect the more athletic and faster Shields to be the guy playing the man to man? Yea, I would.

I would expect Shields to cover the opponent´s top receiver most of the time and Capers would be smart to provide some safety help on that side of the field as well.

 

[HardRightEdge]

He runs enough..I wouldn't say "plenty".even then wouldn't you expect the more athletic and faster Shields to be the guy playing the man to man? Yea, I would.

I think "plenty" is apt.

Capers is typically top 5 in blitz frequency, and only a small percentage of those blitzes would qualify as the so-called "zone blitz" where a lineman (or Peppers as was the case last season) drops in coverage.

Further, Capers ran a lot of single-high safety in the latter stages of last season. Having Dix covering the #2 perimeter corner's back with Shields on the island on every snap makes the defense predictable and exposes the intermediate-to-deep middle to all manner of routes from the other wide out, the slot or the TE.

While I would expect to see Hayward takes snaps there especially early in the season, but I don't see him as an every down player at cover corner. A lot will depend on down-and-distance and the match-ups.

The Packers lost their #2 and #3 cover corners, with solid players at the other backfield spots, and then turned around and drafted DBs in the first and second rounds who are perceived as scheme-versatile. That should not be viewed as coincidence. Further, Hayward is a free agent after 2015. You can expect he'll be looking for 3-down money, and he'll likely get at least "starter" nickel money, which is not chump change these days.

While I wouldn't anoint either Randall or Rollins as a 3-down answer at the perimeter, I think the Packers will be disappointed (as will I) if either of these players (Randall in particular) does not emerge as that guy before the season grows too old, just as Dix solidified free safety as the season wore on.