Cheese Curds, 6/20: Packers’ safeties are excited about Mike Pettine’s scheme

Safety play was a weakness for the Green Bay Packers’ defense last season after finally becoming a strength again over the previous few seasons. Partially due to injuries in the secondary, partially due to Dom Capers’ scheme, and partially due to the departure of a key member of the position group, the safety position seemed to take a big step back in 2017.

All signs are pointing up for the coming year, however, as a new defensive coordinator and a healthy batch of players is leading to a great deal of positivity coming out of Green Bay.

For Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, the scheme under new coordinator Mike Pettine is exciting. He used the words “likable and learnable” earlier this offseason and he is expecting to be used more in the box once again instead of as a full-time deep safety. Second-year pro Josh Jones is getting accustomed to a more defined, singular role in his second year in the NFL.

Then there’s third-year safety Kentrell Brice. He missed ten games a year ago with injuries, wiping out his sophomore season after a promising rookie year. Brice has the ability to play pretty much any position asked of a safety — deep, in the box, and in the slot — and he will likely be fighting a bit with Jones for playing time. However, that versatility will serve him well, and a healthy Brice has been taking in Pettine’s defense with alacrity this offseason.

Packers’ new scheme ‘no problem’ for Kentrell Brice | Packers.com
Brice could play a number of different roles in Mike Pettine's defense, but one thing is clear from his and head coach Mike McCarthy's comments: they're looking for big things out of the third-year safety now that he's back to full health.

Donald Driver Softball Game: Former Packers, other celebs to play | PostCrescent.com
Remember that Drive hosted the official Packers charity softball game for years, and now he's bringing his game back with a host of former teammates including Dorsey Levens, Nick Collins, and James Jones. A number of other non-Packers celebrities will be participating as well, and the game is set for August 5th -- the day after Family Night.

5 veterans on the roster bubble ahead of Packers training camp | Packers Wire
Brett Hundley leads this list, which sounds about right.

Reggie White — Team for the Ages | Pro Football Weekly
PFW is kicking off what they're calling the "Team for the Ages," which is a full roster of 50 players with a specific positional breakdown. The first player revealed is Reggie, who should absolutely have been on every person's ballot.

Brett Hundley Leads Chinstrap Changes in Green Bay | The Power Sweep
Helmet news? HELMET NEWS!

Adam Vinatieri, 45, not looking to retire anytime soon - NFL.com
Although Tom Brady is apparently mulling retiring at age 45 (which would still give him five more years in the NFL), Vinatieri is already there and intends to keep kicking for the foreseeable future.

Cam Newton got so salty at a bunch of kids who taunted him at football camp - SBNation.com
You've got to have a little bit thicker skin than this in the NFL; I guarantee you Cam Newton hears a lot uglier things running out of a tunnel on the road than whatever these kids teased him about.

Car fire at Paramus Honda dealer after vehicle was traded in | NorthJersey.com
The person who traded this VW Routan in either deserves congratulations for impeccable timing or scorn for trading in a car that they knew was ready to go up in flames.