Three Defensive Backs Who Could Be Signed

by Brandon on Sep 23, 2009 8:00 AM CDT in News Comment 26 comments

Depth at safety has become a major problem for the Green Bay Packers. S Atari Bigby is out. S Nick Collins and S Aaron Rouse were injured against the Bengals, and Mike McCarthy didn't confirm on Monday that either would be available next Sunday. They should be OK with S Jarrett Bush starting, although the other possible starter is S Derrick Martin, who was acquired in a trade just a couple weeks ago. Since there is literally no depth behind Bush and Martin, the Packers brought in a couple free agent safeties for workouts. From the Press-Gazette:

With both their starting safeties injuried this week, the Packers worked out three defensive backs Tuesday, including five-year NFL veteran Matt Giordano...

The other player the Packers worked out, according to the NFL transactions wire, were Nate Ness, an undrafted rookie from Arizona who was cut by Seattle during training camp; and DeAndre Wright, a sixth-round draft pick of the New York Giants this year who was cut at the end of training camp...

Of that group, it sounds like Giordano might be worth signing. From Stamp ede Blue:

The last few seasons, one of the best special teams players on the Colts was safety Matt Giordano. Giordano was also one of the fastest players on the team PERIOD, and he had a knack for delivering big hits (like the one he placed on a Bears tight end in the Super Bowl).

Nate Ness was in Seattle for about a minute. From NFL Draft Scout: He's an undrafted free agent who was generally unknown until he ran a 4.46 in the 40 at his pro day, and he's been signed and released by three NFL teams in the last six months. I don't like combine stars who didn't do enough make a name for themselves in college.

DeAndre Wright might be a good candidate for the practice squad, but not for the active roster. NFL Draft Scout called him "very raw and unpolished" and Big Blue View described an ugly play he was involved in this preseason:

DeAndre Wright: The rookie sixth-round pick got himself all turned around, then fell on the field in a heap on Erik Ainge 70-yard touchdown pass to Aundrae Allison late in the fourth quarter. Probably appropriate, though, since I think Wright's chance to make the team crashed to the ground as soon as he did.

The big problem with signing someone like Giordano is that someone else would have to be released to make room for him. If disaster strikes and Collins's season is over, they could place him on I.R. Otherwise someone like CB Brandon Underwood would have to be released.

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Didnt realize that Rouse was injured as well,

what was his injury, and when are the injury reports due to come out today?

Green and Gold / Black, and White

by OznCoop on Sep 23, 2009 8:50 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Not that it matters now

Since S Aaron Rouse was released, but he suffered a neck stinger last Sunday.

by Brandon on Sep 23, 2009 11:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Giordano

I hope we get him but it will be a steep learning curve for him as he played in Indy’s cover 2 defense.

by packallday555 on Sep 23, 2009 10:11 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I really don't know enough about any of these guys.

Mystery!

Looking to buy: General Manager Deputy Badge

by Bush League All Star on Sep 23, 2009 10:30 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

and I thought

the Bears safety situation was bad.

"Repetition is only good when you've been winning." - Valet

by propheteer on Sep 23, 2009 10:56 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Packers release Rouse, sign Giordano

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/60678467.html

rmlumley.com

by shaftr on Sep 23, 2009 11:05 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Holy #$!$#…that is a BALSY move…he’s the only guy back there as a backup who’s even played in this system now. I don’t know about that move. I would rather see them make a trade. Man I wish they had kept the kid from the steelers!!

by TrevorR on Sep 23, 2009 11:30 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I thought it would be Jarrett Bush, but...

I applaud the cut of Rouse. Not that I enjoy someone losing their job, but I am sure that he will land on his feet somewhere.

Repeated mental errors need to have consequences. I just wish they would have realized this in the offseason. Or last year.

by RobertArthur on Sep 23, 2009 11:33 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Three FBs

If one of those guys doesn’t get traded for Oline or DB help soon I am going to get pissed.

by TrevorR on Sep 23, 2009 11:32 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Trades are rare in the NFL...

so you are going to get pissed.

by RobertArthur on Sep 23, 2009 11:34 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The only reason I say that is because there is NO other logical reason for keeping 3 FBs on a poor running team unless his intention is to trade one of them. I don’t need much, I just want one of them gone and someone on the roster to fill that spot who can help where we are weak. BIG trades rarely happen but little ones do!

by TrevorR on Sep 23, 2009 11:39 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

FBs are like LBs...

They are midsize players that have experience with contact. Therefore, they are well-suited to special teams. If the Packers didn’t carry a 3rd FB as a special teams specialist, they’d carry an extra LB to do the same thing. Neither one would be playing their position very much.

It doesn’t matter much anyway, because 8 players have to be inactive for games. That 3rd FB, Johnson, has been inactive for both games so far. Those 8 players are useful for compensating for injuries during the week, but they are useless for injuries that occur during games.

by RobertArthur on Sep 23, 2009 6:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree

Three FBs is insane. Two QBs? Three Ts (And Clifton is hurt now)? There is so much to say about the decisions on this team right now that I could write a lengthy diatribe about the Packers decisions. Yet what good would that do? What is GM Ted Thompson and staff thinking? Are they thinking? Maybe it is time for Ted Thompson to go. He’s killing this team.

by starmark on Sep 23, 2009 1:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

nobody is allowed to ask what he is thinking

He’ll say:

I did what I did for the Green Bay Packers

by ol Pete on Sep 23, 2009 1:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

And up until this offseason,

it’s all made sense. The last few weeks, though? Very puzzling.

"Brandon Jennings needs a nickname before he gives himself one. Oh wait, Young Money, he already did."

by Mitchell_M on Sep 23, 2009 1:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Right

I consider myself a TT backer but he has made a lot of really questionable decisions these past few weeks. The biggest was letting Smith go. He looked arguably better then Bigby in the preseason. He had 2 INTs, and laid some big hits on guys, and we dropped him!? Then keeping 3 FBs. Plus 3 Ts? I don’t get it whatsoever.

by packallday555 on Sep 23, 2009 5:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

A bitter disappointment

Releasing Rouse leaves a rather bitter taste. I know the Packers are hurting for safeties, but to release a talent like Rouse is no small matter. Perhaps his injuries are worse than we thought. Consider the man who is replacing him has no experience other than to have “been signed and released by three NFL teams in the last six months”. I’m not sure that makes a for a great resume. Obviously, Giordano lacks something.

With these injuries, it reminds me of last season all over again. With the problems on the o-line, hopefully the injury problems will not leap to the QB as well.

This leaves us with the burning question of why isn’t Ted Thompson and staff addressing the problems on the o-line? One thing at a time, I suppose. Yet the Packers esteemed GM should be able to handle his job with alacrity at this point, able to address more than one position. Which of course, brings us back to the question: Why has the team not focused on the o-line? Are they that shortsighted that they believe that a team can win without at least an adequate o-line?

The problems started long ago. They knew Tauscher and Clifton were aging. Yet Thompson failed to find suitable replacements for them. If there is a glaring weakness for GM Thompson it is the fact that he cannot recruit linemen (or simply undervalues their importance on a football team). Otherwise, he does a great job of filling the team with other talent. But a team cannot run even if they have a great back, or pass if they have a great QB. The RB will have nowhere to go and QB will get sacked.

So far this season is a bitter disappointment. I hope it all changes soon. A loss to the Rams would be a new low for the staff of the Packers.

by starmark on Sep 23, 2009 12:06 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

starmark On Rouse

I thought he would be a solid replacement while Bigby is out a couple more weeks but did you actually see the game on Sunday? The guy has an absolutely terrible football IQ. If you tivo’d or dvr’d the game go look back at it.

The guy takes wrong angle after wrong angle and the TD he gave up to Chris Henry was one of the worst pass coverages I have ever seen in my life. He literally stood there and did not move like he had his thumb up his butt. He stood in place and Henry jogged into the back of the end zone and caught the ball wide open. I’m still amazed, Rouse literally did not move. I’m convinced after that Cincy game that they can’t do worse than him so they let him go.

by FavreSucks on Sep 23, 2009 12:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I not saying...

I’m not saying Rouse is the best. He is prone to mistakes. I’ve seen them. Yet I have also seen him make some good plays. The point I was trying to make is that he is a suitable backup, hopefully when Collins and Bigby are healthy. Giordano is who? Somebody off the street. Also, the Bengals were once a feared offense. Palmer, when healthy, was supposedly one of the best QBs in the league. He has some pretty darn good weapons too. Everyone makes mistakes. Collins is supposed to be one of the best safeties in the game, yet I’ve seen him blow it a few times. He was the one that let Hester run by on the TD in the Bears game. It isn’t just Rouse that errs. Even the starters make mistakes. I’ve seen enough positives from Rouse to believe that he deserves a chance. Another team will think the same. They will, that is, unless Rouse’s injury is severe.

by starmark on Sep 23, 2009 12:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

More Rouse

I understand what you’re saying to a degree. Can Giordano do any more than Rouse can do in the near future? Probably not, but it sounds like Collins is fine (and Bigby isn’t far off) so I think they’re gonna develop this guy who probably fits their system better than the lengthy slow Rouse.

And everyone does make mistakes, that’s true, but that TD to Hester was because Collins was cramping not because he didn’t see it like Rouse probably wouldn’t have. That might have been Cutlers 5th INT if Collins didn’t cramp up. You could tell the difference once Collins got hurt. Rouse and Bush were a lost cause back there.

I read this at the greenbaypressgazette and I just watched the play on my dvr and Bush, Rouse, and Chillar were the reason that 3rd and 34 was converted. Rouse is just awful. He’ll make a play once or twice but he gives up several more…

“He took a poor leverage angle on the third-and-34 screen the Bengals converted, then was supposed to be playing deep zone on the next play, when (Carson) Palmer hit WR Chad Ochocinco for 44 on a flea-flicker. In Rouse’s defense, ILB Brandon Chillar also took a bad angle on the screen and CBs Charles Woodson and Al Harris overbought on the flea-flicker — not surprising, given the Packers’ struggles stopping the run. But Rouse also erred on WR Chris Henry’s 5-yard TD catch, showing a lack of vision as he looked for a quick pass and Henry ran free on an in behind him.”

by FavreSucks on Sep 23, 2009 12:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

If Capers likes Bigby so much

than how did Rouse not fit the system? A big hitter and lack of coverage skills. sounds almost identical to Bigby. I like an upgrade of speed Giordano but does that fit the system? He can help on ST but we need someone to fill a role right now until Bigby is back.. and that guy is no longer on the roster.. poor decisions by TT

by bizzle4 on Sep 23, 2009 2:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Bigby

Has actually improved in coverage. He had a couple pass break-ups in the Bears game until he got hurt. He looked great blitzing, and I think had like 7 tackles until he got hurt. He is a key player to our new defense, and it really hurts us to have him out.

by packallday555 on Sep 23, 2009 5:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Reading Comprehension

Consider the man who is replacing him has no experience other than to have "been signed and released by three NFL teams in the last six months". I’m not sure that makes a for a great resume. Obviously, Giordano lacks something.

You really need to re-read this article. That sentance was referring to Nate Ness, not Giordano. Giordano isn’t “somebody off the street”…he’s a 5-year NFL veteran. So I think you are confused (at least about these guys)

What was with Kendall's shaved head?....looks like a fist with eyes.
scsteve (Pirates fan)

Correction: Jason Kendall IS a fist with eyes.
Derek (Brewers fan)

by bluejazz04 on Sep 23, 2009 1:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

my mistake!

I read too fast, obvious overlooking important pieces of information. Thank you for the correction. It just goes to show that I have no idea who these guys are. If I have heard of them, then I would not have made that error. In my book, they still classify as “guys off the street”.

by starmark on Sep 23, 2009 1:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

On Gio

I liked Giordano and depending on what kind of role he has to play you guys might too. He’s a great special teamer, with blazing speed (if the endzone had been 2-3 yards further away in superbowl XLI he probably would have caught Devin Hester from behind on the opening return).

On defense he had some nice plays as a dimeback and in mop up work, but the only time he got extended PT at safety was as part of the 2006 Colts regular season run defense debacle.

He’s a great asset to kick/punt coverage and is useful in a limited role on defense, but I don’t think he’s a starting caliber safety.

It's not just your perceptions that can be wrong. Even your memory is often incomplete or possibly flat out wrong.

by shake n bake on Sep 23, 2009 12:45 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs