Packers’ troubles with early round CBs have been matched by Lions’ misses at RB

Drafting first and second day picks at cornerback in the NFL Draft has been a nightmare for the Green Bay Packers in recent memory. Not only has the franchise struggled to discover a consistent playmaker, it has rarely seen one play well enough to earn a second contract. As hard as it has been for fans in Green Bay to remain optimistic about the position, it has been just as difficult for another divisional team to fill a routine position of need.

Since Barry Sanders retired in 1999, the Detroit Lions have been on the prowl for a game-changing, every-down running back to help Matthew Stafford and a medley of other former quarterbacks. While the Lions were scrutinized for their first round selections of four wide receivers in five years from 2003-2007, their search for a running back has been just as strenuous.

As a recent APC commenter remarked, there seems to be a humorous obsession for both Green Bay and Detroit to fix their glaring positions of need primarily via early round draft picks.

The Lions have selected eight running backs in the first three rounds since 2000. By comparison, the Packers have chosen ten cornerbacks in the first two days of the NFL Draft during that timeframe. For every shining moment an individual player may have brought in a given year, both teams have experienced a great deal of underachievement.

In the 2018 edition of the draft, both teams swung big for the respective positions yet again. Green Bay took Jaire Alexander and Josh Jackson in rounds one and two and Detroit added second rounder Kerryon Johnson. Perhaps this time around, both franchises will find more success than the majority of the picks found in the tables below.

As seen above, there has been limited production from a majority of the players selected. For several, especially the two Kevins in Detroit and Hayward and Randall in Green Bay, rookie seasons have typically been the best year of players’ stays in the two cities before a drop off in subsequent seasons. And while Kevin Smith signed a one-year deal with Detroit after his rookie contract expired, no other player on this list returned to their team past their initial deals. Injuries surely played a factor for a few players on these lists, but players like Leshoure, Calhoun, Carroll, and Thomas proved to be significant early round blunders.

Noticeably absent from the career highlights in the tables are Pro Bowl appearances, with none of the selections generating that honor while with the franchise that selected them. Of course, Hayward would go on to earn that recognition with the Los Angeles Chargers quickly after leaving Green Bay.

Outside of the players drafted this past April, only Abdullah, King, and Rollins will be returners to the squads. Each carries varying expectations. In Detroit, the once-high hopes for Abdullah have been diminished to a receiving back role in an offense that already features Theo Riddick as a capable third down back. Transitioning into more of a receiving role has been common for the players on Detroit’s list in their third and fourth seasons. For Green Bay, King is looking for a bounce-back season after injuries ended an inconsistent rookie year. Meanwhile, Rollins is just trying to make the final Packers roster. It’s safe to say that none of the players in this group are expected to earn a Pro Bowl nod in 2018.

But with King’s tantalizing upside and the exciting draft grades provided for Alexander and Jackson, there is hope that the trio of young corners will develop into that elusive high-caliber player long sought after. Green Bay has fortunately been able to utilize veteran additions such as Al Harris and Charles Woodson to help alleviate some of the issues caused by swings-and-misses, while hitting big on undrafted players in Sam Shields and Tramon Williams.

Likewise, Johnson’s presence in Detroit may not be felt as quickly this upcoming season with Riddick, Abdullah, and LeGarrette Blount vying for snaps. But after receiving minimal year-to-year contributions from players such as Reggie Bush and Joique Bell while searching for its bellcow, Detroit has a strong desire for Johnson to eventually develop into its feature back.

Maybe, just maybe, both teams have fixed their annual positions of need this draft season with players worthy of a long-term investment.