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There isn't much analysis needed here. The Packers' safety situation is about as dire as possible for a team with Super Bowl aspirations. While not every defensive deficiency can be tied to losing Nick Collins in the 2011 season, so much of what he provided the team is still missing. That loss continues to manifest itself in troubling ways, such as the Packers bottom third ranked pass defense.
The Packers' lone capable safety, Morgan Burnett, plays much better at strong safety than free. The team would benefit greatly from a roaming defensive back with the range Collins once possessed. However, those players are very difficult to uncover. Jarius Byrd is perhaps one such player, but his cost rules him out as a target. The draft offers some talented safeties, but players like HaHa Clinton-Dix aren't necessarily the type of safety the Packers need. Those who might, like Louisville's Calvin Pryor, could be off the board before Green Bay's pick.
Perhaps the best option would be to convert a bigger cornerback to safety. Those transitions always come with complications, but it's perhaps the most realistic avenue for the Packers to acquire the safety they so badly need.
Regardless, there's little doubt that the safety position sits atop the Packers priority list.
Need Rating: 10/10
