Packers Draft Needs: Defensive Back

by Brandon on Feb 26, 2010 7:00 AM CST in Green Bay Packers Free Agency

This is the final post where I'm looking at some of the available unrestricted free agents by position, while also looking at the Green Bay Packers own free agents.

They had four restricted free agents in the secondary, but SS Derrick Martin was recently resigned, and I expect the contracts tendered to FS Nick Collins, SS Atari Bigby, and CB Will Blackmon will be high enough that each one will return next season.

This is the position where I expect you'll hear most of the free agent rumors. Last year, they pursued a veteran safety to provide depth. They talked with SS Mike Adams, before he was resigned by the Browns. They did sign FS Anthony Smith, who looked good during the preseason, but he was cut and effectively replaced with Martin. But with the early season release of SS Aaron Rouse, and my general dislike of Martin, they still need another safety for depth. It won't be a starter like FS Darren Sharper, who looks like he'll at least explore the market, but he should be well paid in 2010. Also, if GM Ted Thompson decided he wasn't going to be part of their plans back in 2005, I can't imagine he's changed his mind 5 years later. Here's a list of free agent defensive backs from Football's Future. I don't know who they'll be looking at, but I expect they'll be pursuing some backup free agent safety for depth.

It's also likely they're looking for a safety and not a cornerback. And it's very unlikely they'd pursue a high priced cornerback like CB Dunta Robinson. He's certain to receive a contract in 2010 for around $12 million, which was the amount he was paid in 2009. Texans's fans sure are not sorry to see the guy go. Plus, the Packers are expecting 3 cornerbacks to return from injury in 2010. CB Al Harris, if his rehab is going well enough to avoid being released next month, CB Pat Lee, and CB Will Blackmon. Maybe they'll look to add another cornerback at some point in the draft, but they might be comfortable with waiting for everyone to return healthy.

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I hope they're not comfortable with the CB's we have...

Even if Al Harris, Lee, & Blackmon come back healthy… I’m not comfortable with them going into 2010!! Still think we need to spend a 3rd or 4th round pick on a CB… Right after LT, and OLB… 2009 confirmed we need more depth at CB… Someone who can actually cover guys… LOL!

GO PACK!!!!

by Bird Dog Uni on Feb 26, 2010 7:09 AM CST reply actions

I agree...we can't be comfortable

Harris is done. He might come back but he was already uncomfortable in this system and his skills have been slowly declining anyway. Obviously we are good with Woodson and Williams is AT LEAST ready to be a nickle back…I think we could do better on the other side though. I don’t know if getting Dunta is the right move but it sure would be nice to have someone younger to lead those corners when Woodson is done here. Robinson is going to come at a HUGE premium though. It might be better to grab a safety (especially if Rolle is released) and then grab another corner in the draft in the middle rounds.

by TrevorR on Feb 26, 2010 7:58 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs

Why does everybody dumpon Al Harris?

Receivers he covered still had the lowest completion pe4rcentage on the team. The guy is a premier/elite cornerback. The knee injury may change things around, but when the Packers got torched through the air last year, it wasn’t over Harris.

Harris (if healthy) and that other guy (Woodson or something like that?) are the best CB tandem in the NFL. They are, however, aging, and it is important to groom replacements. Tramon Williams isn’t in the same class as either Harris or Woodson, but he might be starting-caliber. Blackmon keeps getting hurt, as does Pat Lee, so it’s hard to tell what to expect from them (I submit that in the case of Blackmon there should be no expectations).

Safety, as Brandon points out, is the bigger problem. Bigby was the weak coverage-link last year, and although Collins made the pro bowl, he had his share of problems as well (I think Thompson thinks so too, otherwise he would have signed him already). However, you can’t win with rookie safeties and there isn’t anybody else on the roster, so Thompson will have to bring both of them back.

by ktenreb on Feb 26, 2010 3:24 PM CST up reply actions

Did you watch Harris at all last year? Teams went at him and had some success. He was still alright but definitely not at the same level as last year. He seemed to get beat over the top a lot. There are more then a few plays that stick out in my head. It was just pretty clear he wasn’t real comfortable in the new zone schemes. So when you factor in that he is 35 and coming off a bad, bad ACL tear I just don’t know how much we should expect out of him.

Bigby was so weak in coverage for us last year. I remember watching him the first game of the year against the Bears and thinking wow, Bigby looks great out there. Then he got hurt, and we saw our secondary, particulary in the middle of the field get torched, and I thought to myself man, I can’t wait until Bigby comes back. Then he came back, and our secondary still got torched, and still in the middle of the field. He blew a lot of assignments this year, and I’m hoping we can get a replacement for him soon.

by packallday555 on Feb 26, 2010 6:37 PM CST up reply actions

Harris was burned repeatedly last season. Even Micheal Crabtree (A Rookie) was having tremendous success against Al Harris before Harris tore his ACL. Harris was getting burned deep and if he wasn’t getting beat deep, he was constantly getting flagged for illegal contact. Don’t get me wrong, Harris is still alright, but he is no longer elite. I’d like to resign him at the right price, but not as a starter.

Yes, Bigby was a weak link in pass coverage too. However, linking Bigby to Harris doesn’t make any sense. Harris covers the right side of the field, Bigby covers the left side in most occasions.

"No player is greater than a team."
-Vince Lombardi

by Jabooty on Feb 26, 2010 8:41 PM CST up reply actions

I don’t believe Harris is a FA…

I agree…he’ll be maybe an avg corner from here out. No where near the top of the pack like he once was. The flags have gotten a bit old with him…sadly the rest of the team has the same problem with flags so with Al or without the flags are going to fly when our team is on the field!

by TrevorR on Feb 27, 2010 12:58 AM CST up reply actions

He's not a Free Agent...I should have reworded that sentence

It’s a possibility that Al will retire, although he’s trying to make a full recovery to get back on the field.

"No player is greater than a team."
-Vince Lombardi

by Jabooty on Feb 27, 2010 8:05 AM CST up reply actions

That's not true

Harris gave up some plays, like all cornerbacks do, but he was still playing at a very high level He doesn’t get a lot if interceptions like Woodson, in part because there are comparatively fewer balls thrown his way. The knee injury might affect his overall play, but having Harris and Woodson as your corners is very solid. As I said, Bigby and the linebackers were far the bigger problem last year, and I also think that Collins did not play to a pro bowl level (even though he made the pro bowl).

by ktenreb on Mar 1, 2010 10:38 AM CST up reply actions

I dumpon Harris because he's taken a big step back...

Blame it on the system or blame it on his age, either way, he was NOT the Harris of old. I love Harris, he was the heart of our defense for many years…his best is well behind him though. I saw, in watching the games, him not being comfortable i nthe new system and I saw him getting beat a fair amount of the time. Now on top of that, he’s got this knee injury which at his age is not only going to take longer to heal, but its more likely to affect him greater. I am about the same age as Al…I can tell already at this age how much differently my body reacts to things…it changes a lot. He’s not going to just bounce back from this like a 25 year old. So yeah, I am dumping on him but its all based on production from what I saw in games compiled with what I think is his reality going forward.

You are right…Tramon is not in the class of Harris or Woodson in their prime…he might be a decent starter, but he’s not going to be like them. I don’t think at least.

Regarding safety, I am still holding out hope that the Cardinals release Rolle and that we snap him up and let Bigby gooooo bye bye.

by TrevorR on Feb 27, 2010 12:56 AM CST up reply actions

I agree, we need depth

My preference is to trade out of the 1st Round and get a 2nd and 3rd or 4th Round pick through that trade. That is if HB CJ Spiller and OLB Sergio Kindle are not availabe at the time we are up in the 1st Round.

If we do trade down and get a 2nd and 3rd Round pick, then we can use our two 2nd Round picks on an OT and HB (McCluster or McKnight). In the 3rd Round, we can draft a CB and maybe an OLB.

Keep in mind, I am all about drafting the best available player and want to gear away from needs. If OLB Sergio Kindle is available in the 1st Round, I say take him. Otherwise, we should probably wait until the end of the 3rd Round if we ever draft an OLB. If that is the case though, I’d prefer to resign Aaron Kampman. There are CB’s available in the 2nd Round too though, so it’s all about who’s the best player on the draft board.

I would like to sign someone like Dunta Robinson, but for $12 Million? No way is he worth that kind of money. I’d prefer to stick with who we have over paying that kind of money for Dunta.

"No player is greater than a team."
-Vince Lombardi

by Jabooty on Feb 26, 2010 9:42 AM CST reply actions

I like the possible trade move

But with the trade I would hope we could get a early 2nd pick with it. But I would grab a CB there. IMO there are two groups of CBs in the draft the early first round guys like Haden, Wilson.. But then theres the second group which seems to be early second rounders like Warren, Cox (who also is a KR/PR)

by bizzle4 on Feb 26, 2010 12:25 PM CST up reply actions