Packers Future at Safety Full of Uncertainty
By GilMartin
The Green Bay Packers entered the 2022 NFL season confident that they had one of the better starting safety duos in the league. Unfortunately, that did not pan out and the team has struggled at the position throughout the season.
As we look ahead, the team’s future at safety is even more uncertain and GM Brian Gutekunst has some difficult decisions to make about who will return in 2023 and who will not wear Green and Gold. The team also needs to determine what role the returning players will have.
The starters at the beginning of the season were Adrian Amos and Darnell Savage. Amos joined the Packers in 2019 when he signed with the team as a free agent. The former Penn State star brought experience and was always a positionally sound player. His consistency allowed other players to take chances knowing Amos would be there to have their backs. Amos also added leadership in the locker room.
Late in the 2020 season, Amos was playing at a Pro Bowl level. He was anticipating plays and making tackles for loss. He also was used on the safety blitz and had two sacks and three quarterback hits to go along with two interceptions.
Amos continued to play well through the 2021 season but this year, his game has fallen off significantly. According to pro-football-reference.com, opposing quarterbacks are completing 76.5 percent of their passes when throwing to receivers covered by Amos and their quarterback rating on such occasions is 127.2. Both of those numbers are the worst of Amos’ time with Green Bay by a wide margin.
One of the big issues facing Amos and many other players in the Packers secondary this season has been a lack of communication. Amos has been as guilty as everybody else in the secondary at having issues with passing players off as they run from one zone to another. The lack of consistency and communication are not typical of Amos’ play over his career.
Amos will be a free agent at the end of this season. Will Gutekunst opt to bring him back? The drop off in his play will be a big concern. Amos will turn 30 in April of this year and the Packers are usually hesitant to sign players to lengthy extensions after they reach that age. Unless he has a very strong finish to the season, Amos is unlikely to be back with the Packers in 2023 unless he takes a pay cut or signs a team-friendly, short-term deal.
Savage has struggled even more than Amos has. The former first-round pick out of Maryland was also playing the best football of his career in the second half of the 2020 season. He couldn’t match that level of play in 2021 but this season has been an even bigger struggle for Savage.
Opposing quarterbacks are completing 69.7 percent of their passes when throwing to receivers covered by Savage and have a quarterback rating of 137.8. Both of those numbers are also the worst of Savage’s career.
In addition to the issues with passing off receivers in zone coverages, Savage has not put forth consistent effort when it comes to tackling. The most flagrant example came in the Packers loss to Buffalo when he flailed an elbow in the general direction of Bills quarterback Josh Allen instead of tackling him. It was an embarrassing effort on national television which frustrated the coaching staff and fans alike.
Savage was benched and moved from safety to the nickel package and to cover the slot receiver against the Eagles. He was on the field for only one play before getting injured and having to leave the game. Savage did not play against the Bears last week.
The Packers already picked up Savage’s fifth-year option so he should be back in Green Bay in 2023 barring a trade. But will he regain his starting job or will be the nickel or dime back covering slot receivers?
Rudy Ford took over when Savage was benched. The Packers signed him primarily for his special teams prowess but he has played well on defense while starting the last four games. His statistics are actually better than both Amos’ and Savage’s although it is a smaller sample size.
Ford signed a one-year deal this offseason so he is scheduled to be a free agent this offseason. Will Gutekunst opt to re-sign Ford and if so, will be there to compete for a starting job or will he again primarily be a special teams player again?
There will be some difficult decisions for the Packers organization this offseason. Who stays and who returns and at what cost? Do the Packers gamble that Amos returns to form or do they let him go? Is Savage ever going to match his 2020 performance? There are a lot more questions than answers as of right now but these players still have four games to try to change the perception of them before the offseason gets underway.
You can follow Gil Martin on Twitter @GilPackers
Comments (55)
Coldworld
December 10, 2022 at 11:17 am
The Packers face uncertainty throughout the D. It seems inevitable that there will be a change. That may help serve some of the issues, which seem in part to be a function of the Barry D. That said, it looks like the Amos years are ending and Savage has a big question mark. Ford is perhaps part of a solution, Douglas could be. Is Abernathy or even Vernon Scott, who looked like a candidate for playing time before injury? Safety is one of those positions that likely gains some clarity if we stop the denial and start playing for next year.
PackyCheese500
December 10, 2022 at 12:35 pm
Vernon i see will be cut. Abernathy could be interesting. Savage I think has been damaged by Barry's coaching; he looked decent under Pettine.
jannesbjornson
December 10, 2022 at 01:16 pm
Brady chewed him up in the NFC CH Game @ Lambeau.
PackyCheese500
December 10, 2022 at 01:18 pm
Savage or Kevin King?
jannesbjornson
December 10, 2022 at 02:51 pm
Both. Toss in Sullivan for the trifecta.
jannesbjornson
December 10, 2022 at 01:08 pm
Replace both starters. Keep Ford. Douglas as a FS ?? I like Mark Perry from TCU. Get a FA at value.
PackyCheese500
December 10, 2022 at 01:17 pm
Has Perry declared for 2023? I'm not sure if he has. JL Skinner of Boise St. is my favorite prospect in 2023.
If we don't trade Douglas in the offseason, it would be interesting to explore him as a FS. That may suit his playing style better, perhaps...
splitpea1
December 10, 2022 at 11:42 am
Re-signing Ford should be a priority, as he's been one of the few bright spots on defense and special teams.... Draft two safeties, one of them in the upper rounds, and make sure they can tackle BEFORE you draft them. Hoping a poor tackler is going to magically evolve into a good one at the NFL level is delusional. Let Amos go, and if you can't lose Savage, relegate him to backup status.... The overall tackling of this defense seemed to improve last year, but once again, here we are. Start next season with a renewed emphasis on the fundamentals.
stockholder
December 10, 2022 at 12:18 pm
Top 10
Jordan Battle,Antonio Johnson,Chris Smith, JL Skinner, Brandon Joseph, Jamie Robinson, Brian Branch, Rashad Torrence, Jalan Catalon.
PackyCheese500
December 10, 2022 at 12:34 pm
My favorite 4 are Skinner, Branch, Smith, and Battle
jannesbjornson
December 10, 2022 at 01:12 pm
I like Cory Trice, a CB from Purdue who lays the lumber. He can transition to safety or be the the other guy inside.
I like Joey Porter,Jr CB, with the One pick. Mark Perry is a SS with brains from TCU. Scott/Gaines etc shown the door. Why keep people who cannot think or execute with courage??
PackyCheese500
December 10, 2022 at 01:23 pm
Trice could be a good 7th round pick.
I don't see us using a first round pick on Cornerback when we have so many other needs, like Tight End, Safety, Defensive Line, Offensive Line, and Outside Linebacker, especially when we don't currently have enough players for 2023 at positions like TE and S to form a roster. At least give Stokes a chance to redeem himself after 2022; he was great in 2021 and we can't deem him a bust after a bad half-season.
Perry could be interesting, although I'm not sure he's declared for 2023. JL Skinner is my favorite 2023 safety.
jannesbjornson
December 10, 2022 at 02:53 pm
He will drop no lower than the third. Stokes will be on IR and he doesn't inspire me as a CB. Get Porter. He knows the game from his father and has the size to seal the perimeter with Jaire. We've seen enough of Douglas in the one-on-ones. I have Edge and DT in the third/4th rd. TE and Wr in the second, moving up for Tillman.
PackyCheese500
December 10, 2022 at 03:58 pm
I have looked, and the few draft scout web-sites that have graded Trice have him going early or in the middle of the 7th.
I am not saying Porter won't be a great player, I am just saying that we have other, more prominent needs than CB heading into 2023. I would love to have him, but the Packers need to draft smartly.
The fact that Stokes is on IR doesn't change anything about what I said. Ask yourself this: In 2021, when he had 14 PBUs and allowed a 49.5(!) completion rate on targets, would you have said he didn't inspire you? Players have down years, especially 2nd-year players, but let's give him a chance in 2023. If he doesn't return to form, we can address CB in 2024 via free agency or the draft. CB is not our largest need nor is it the strongest position group in the 2023 draft, so we shouldn't prioritize it. Also, I believe Porter Jr's father was a linebacker, not a cornerback, so it isn't the type of mentorship that I think you're thinking of.
EDGE, on the other hand, is the strongest position in the 2023 draft by a large margin. It is also one of our largest needs come 2023, so I think it makes a ton of sense to address the EDGE early in the 2023.
Also, I checked Tillman out, and he seems like an excellent prospect that the Packers would like.
krefttreeservice.com
December 10, 2022 at 02:45 pm
They need a coach to put these young men in line, 7 first rounders on that defense and not even Alexander looked good this year. It is Joe Berry end of story !!!! Go after that Wisconsin native coaching for the Badgers, Packers are idiots they dont go after him.. He knows hard work made the NFL as a walk on for 10 years at 5 foot 8... Same with playing for the Badgers .. He can tackle and will teach these young clowns how to play defense !!!!!!!!!!!
stockholder
December 10, 2022 at 12:03 pm
If it's a question of Form- No. This might be more a Question of Age, and Amos wanting to stay with the Packers.
I still think he has value. He once was considered the smartest defensive player on the field. What happened?
Since'61
December 10, 2022 at 12:26 pm
Joe Barry happened. Thanks, Since '61
PackyCheese500
December 10, 2022 at 12:33 pm
Amos is aging; he will be 30 soon. The Packers need to get younger at the position in the offseason.
Coldworld
December 10, 2022 at 01:11 pm
But I don’t think nearly 30 explains his decline this year. Something is not right beyond that, whether it’s discontent or usage or both is anyone’s guess, but it’s not just him.
jannesbjornson
December 10, 2022 at 01:14 pm
It is clear. He is coasting.
Coldworld
December 10, 2022 at 03:07 pm
That seems likely, but why is the interesting question. Not an obvious step in a contract year.
dobber
December 10, 2022 at 03:16 pm
I vaguely remember turning 30...
Since'61
December 10, 2022 at 12:28 pm
Play Ford and Douglas at safety for the remainder of the season. Find out if they work as the Packers starting safeties for 2023 and maybe beyond. Play them so that the Packers can make an informed decision during the off season. What do the Packers have to lose. Thanks, Since '61
PackyCheese500
December 10, 2022 at 12:32 pm
When it comes to the 2023 draft, Safety is a position we absolutely must address in the early rounds, either 2 or 1. Re-sign Rudy Ford, who has done well, for his STs work and as a 3rd safety. I want to see more of Abernathy; he looked great and fundamentally sound player in the Preseason.
I would say that Savage doesn't come back; His career trajectory seems to me to resemble that of Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix. Amos is aging and likely won't significantly improve next year, so I don't see any point in keeping him around
PackyCheese500
December 10, 2022 at 01:15 pm
Here are my 4 favorite Safety prospects in the 2023 draft:
JL Skinner, Boise St. Skinner is my favorite prospect. He has elite physical traits at 6'4 and 220lbs, with long 33-inch arms. He tackles hard and well, and is great in run support. He is very physical, both in tackling and in coverage, and had 7 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles in 2021. He has flashed amazing turnover-creating ability, and improved his ball skills between '21 and '22, snagging 4 interceptions this year. I think he is a tantalizing prospect to be the Packers' next Strong Safety, and with good coaching, could become all-pro caliber. Here is a great article about him: https://theanalyst.com/na/2022/07/boise-state-jl-skinner-ncaa-top-safeti... and https://www.bronconationnews.com/stats-are-down-but-boise-states-jl-skin...
Brian Branch, Alabama. Branch could become the next in of many Alabama DBs to have great success in the NFL. He is listed as only 193 lbs, but plays bigger than his size. There are two main things I love about Branch. First of all is his tackling. He is the best tackler of all of the 2023 DBs, garnering a 100% tackling rating from NFL draft buzz. Second is his versatility; he can play safety, but played a lot in college as a Nickelback, and can even play as an outside CB if necessary. I know the Packers like versatile DBs, and this may draw them to branch. He only has one interception this year, but has made 78 tackles and has landed 2 sacks, so he offers value as a blitzing DB too.
Christopher Smith, Georgia. Smith has made some big plays for the Bulldogs on the back end of their defense this year, and he is my favorite Free Safety prospect in 2023. He has excellent ball skills and has been amazing in coverage, snagging 3 picks in both 2021 and 2022 (a total of 6). He has good, not great tackling, but there is no reason to think that good coaching couldn't help him improve. Another thing the Packers may like about Smith is his Special Teams experience. He has been a stalwart on STs for the Bulldogs over the past couple of years, and had a 95-yard blocked-field-goal-return-TD in the SEC Championship. I see him as a 3rd-round, potentially late 2nd, prospect
Jordan Battle, Alabama. Battle has excellent Football IQ, and is a natural defensive leader. He has great size for the Strong Safety position and regularly delivers big hits, although he has been inconsistent in wrapping up. He has been good in run defense, and excellent in coverage, man especially. He had an amazing year in 2021, snagging 3 picks (including a pick 6 in the SEC championship) and only giving up 111(!) yards in coverage when targeted. However, he hasn't done as much this season, only logging 30 tackles and 2 PBUs. He's mis-timed some interception leaps. He is a good prospect, though, but remains unpolished in some areas. With a good coach, Battle could become an excellent player on the pro level. He is a mid-second-round prospect for me.
stockholder
December 10, 2022 at 04:55 pm
Skinner is projected to be a Lb. Think. Brian Urlacker.
PackyCheese500
December 10, 2022 at 06:10 pm
Where did you read that? He has not played any LB in college; only Safety; look at his stats. All of the draft scouting web-sites have him listed as a Safety.
stockholder
December 10, 2022 at 09:47 pm
His rare combination of size and skill allows the Broncos to play him at both safety and outside linebacker — a rarity these days in college football.
By B.J. RAINS [email protected] Jun 11, 2020
Oppy
December 11, 2022 at 12:07 pm
I'm confused, you mention Brian Urlacher, that's the prototypical Tampa-2ILB who drops into the intermediate to deep zone.. but now you're talking about outside linebacker?
MooPack
December 10, 2022 at 01:42 pm
"The Green Bay Packers entered the 2022 NFL season confident that they had one of the better starting safety duos in the league."
Over confident. Fixed it.
Everyone I know and many here knew that Savage was one of the most, if not the most, weakest links on the defense. Safety was a top need last year and now even more so. Problem is what are they going to do about Barry. Will he get fired? If they don't, Gute shouldn't spend a dime or draft on defense. It would be a waste because of his scheme. Draft Offense and just try to out score the opponent.
Only caveat draft prospects would be Myles Murphy, Bryan Bresee, and Jalen Carter. But the Packers probably won't sniff those guys as they will probably be gone.
PackyCheese500
December 10, 2022 at 01:50 pm
Barry must be fired in 2023. They have Jim Leonhard available now; court him now and once the season is over, strike! If it appears MLF will retain Barry, though, then both of them should be shown the door and replace him with someone like Dan Quinn. We can't have someone as wimpy as MLF would be if he didn't fire Barry as our HC.
Safety was a top need last year, and I was very happy with our 2022 draft, but one of the things I don't understand is why we didn't use a single pick on safety when '22 was one of the best safety classes! Safety Kerby Joseph of Illinois was a draft crush of mine; I wish the Packers would have taken him over Rhyan in rd. 3; he now plays for the Lions and has 3 picks in his rookie year, 2 of them on Aaron Rodgers! Nick Cross of Maryland (Colts) is another player who we could have taken.
Carter will certainly be gone; Murphy most likely; Bresee I could very easily see falling to us on day 1 because of injury concerns; he tore his ACL in '21 and has been dealing with a kidney infection for most of '22.
Heyward
December 10, 2022 at 04:21 pm
Gutekunst will fix the problem at safety by giving Savage an extension worth $40 million.
PhantomII
December 10, 2022 at 01:44 pm
Signing Savage 5th year option is the biggest puzzle here. I have watched him since the draft and has shown absolutely nothing worth tendering for. Amos has always been solid, mostly as a someone to be relied upon to make the Tackle. I have seen Amos let a TE behind him at the goal line in the NFCC game and a couple ticks later the light bulb goes on and he turns to watch the TE make a touchdown. I would not keep either and despite the option being signed I don't know if we get a break if Savage is cut in early summer. We need 3 good Safeties that: 1. Tackle well
2. Anticipate where the ball is going and are there to make the stop or Interception.
3. Take good angles
4. Have good hands to make the catch
5. Confidence in their skills and abilities.
Some of the problem is definitely the DC and DB coaching...but we had 1-good tackler and a big liability in Savage for the last several years. There are a lot better players out there and in the draft. GPG
Doofapotamus
December 10, 2022 at 01:57 pm
I think what we are seeing, is that without FANTASTIC/OUTSTANDING play from players (Douglas, Amos, Campbell, Gary, etc) this defense is incredibly marginal. Last year Douglas and Campbell played at a pro bowl level. This year, no one, aside from Gary and even Alexander outside of a few games, has played at a pro bowl level. The inefficiency is clear as day and something needs to change.
PackyCheese500
December 10, 2022 at 02:01 pm
Quay has flashed. I agree with you though.
Leatherhead
December 10, 2022 at 02:21 pm
Last season, 371 points were scored on us. This year, we're at 302 with 4 games remaining.
That's 69 points . If we don't give up more than 69 points in the four remaining games, it kind of makes the whole "defense has gone to shit" narrative collapse,doesn't it.?
We probably will give up more than that, but it isn't going to be a huge amount. Hell, if we give up 86 points in the last four games our defensive scoring average will be ONE POINT higher than last year.
We can complain about the defense and special teams all we want, but the bottom line is that when our offense plays well, we usually win, and when it doesn't, we usually don't. During our 4 game skid after the Giants game, we were averaging 14 ppg, which is almost never enough to win. We've scored below the league average 8 times this year, and lost 7 of them.
PackyCheese500
December 10, 2022 at 02:42 pm
Our defense wasn't good last year, so I guess worse to bad is an improvement. The goal should be to have a good, even great defense, though!
Leatherhead
December 10, 2022 at 03:07 pm
13th in scoring defense last year. We held 8 opponents to 17 or less. We held 11 opponents under the league average. The defense didn't give up a single TD in the playoffs.
The goal should be to win games. To win games, you have to score points. Every year, the teams that are still around in January are good offensive teams.
Even this year, despite everything, if our offense had been just a little more successful we'd be looking at a better record than 5-8. You don't win very many games in this league where you score less than 17.
PackyCheese500
December 10, 2022 at 04:14 pm
You have to do two things to win: Score, and not let your opponent score.
The teams that win in the regular season may be the best offensive teams, but the teams that are lifting the Lombardi at the end of the season all have amazing defenses. Defense wins championships, as the old saying goes.
Excluding the 2019 Chiefs, you can look back at the winner of each of the last 11 Super Bowls, and you will find every one of them has a championship caliber defense. From the '21 Rams and the '20 Bucs to the '18 Pats, the '15 Broncos, and the '10 Packers. When the Packers won the SB with Favre, they had the #1 defense. They had the #5 defense and #2 scoring defense in 2010. Remember in 2010 when we were the #6 seed in the NFC? We wouldn't have won the SB without our defense. If our D isn't as good, then Vick likely throws a TD in the wild card and the Eagles beat us.
When you rely on your offense to outscore your opponents without a competent defense to stop them, you end up like the Lions currently. Or, for a better example, the 2020 Chiefs and Packers. Lots of regular season wins but coming up short when it matters most.
Of course, everything goes vice versa, because the inverse of the Lions is the Broncos right now. Both sides of the ball need to be good to win. All 3 sides actually (Special Teams included), as the 2021 Packers know so well.
The ultimate goal of the NFL is not to win games, it is to win Championships. You need to win games in order to do that, but what the Packers have been for the last 2 years is winning in the regular season but falling short in the postseason. Were those seasons successes compared to the SB Champions of those years, even though we won more games than each of those teams in those two years?
We have been hot and cold this season. Our offense has failed us sometimes, like the Lions game, but other games, like the Eagles game, we could have won if we would have had a competent defense.
Also, we currently rank 22nd in scoring defense. My suspicion is that there has been a general decline in scoring this year, so saying we allowed less points than we did last year doesn't paint the full picture
[email protected]
December 10, 2022 at 02:47 pm
Sorry, I just don't get it. Are you trying to say that last year was good?
Leatherhead
December 10, 2022 at 03:17 pm
No, I'm saying we were on the high end of average.
32 teams. 4 at the top, 4 at the bottom. The remaining 24 split into thirds puts 5-12 as good, 13-20 as average, 21- 28 as bad. We were average last year, when we won 13 games, and we're average again this year, when we're 5-8.
How bad were we last year? Bad enough to win 13 games. Bad enough to hold 11 opponents under the league average. Bad enough to not give up a single TD in the playoffs. Bad enough to hold 8 opponents to 17 or less.
PackyCheese500
December 10, 2022 at 04:14 pm
I will agree with you that we were above-average in 2021. However, according to your metrics, we are currently bad. We are currently ranked 22nd in scoring D (and 29th in run D, allowing a miserable 5.0 yards per carry!)
PhantomII
December 10, 2022 at 04:19 pm
The ONLY bright spot on offense has been the rise of Christian Watson who has been 50-75 % of our offensive points. What this year has shown is the loss of an All Pro WR DA who NEVER had a #2 WR and a good TE and the lack of backfilling talent from FA on offense and a home run in the drafts 2nd RD. The offense other than OL has been neglected. The defense is not good enough at the DL and secondary. Our HC is not a HC and our DC is not a DC.
PackyCheese500
December 10, 2022 at 04:31 pm
I agree we never figured out TE, but Lazard and MVS were at least okay, right? Of course we could have done better, but the problem is that Rodgers had a tendancy to force feed the ball to Adams in key moments. We saw this in the playoff game; near the end when Adams was double-covered, he threw to him instead of a wide-open Lazard or EQ, who was beating his guy.
I think Gutey has mostly done a good job on defense since he took over. Gary and Alexander have been great, Savage was good but then dropped off a cliff in '21 and now sucks, and the jury is still out on Stokes. Don't forget he was also the one who signed the Smiths and Amos in free agency.
For the most part, though I agree with your take, and there are large problems with this team. A rebuild, I believe, is the only conceivable way to substantially solve them at the root and not just place a band-aid on.
Heyward
December 10, 2022 at 04:24 pm
The defense added a healthy Alexander and two No. 1 picks. That it's not worse than last season isn't saying much since it stunk the second half of last season. We all got fooled by the playoff game vs. SF, but Garoppolo could barely throw the ball, and the conditions were not conducive to offense.
OrganLeroy
December 10, 2022 at 03:52 pm
Try Savage at WR, after all he runs a 4.3.
OrganLeroy
December 10, 2022 at 03:55 pm
Edge #1, then Saftey & TE in no particular order. Dalton Kincaid is a Travis Kelce clone and Ji'ayir Brown-S Penn St.
PackyCheese500
December 10, 2022 at 04:18 pm
Finally, someone who agrees with me that we should address the EDGE in an early round! Rds 1 or 2 is what I would like. The 2023 EDGE class is phenomonal.
Brown of Penn St. is graded as a 6th rounder by most sites, so he could be a good depth pick. I would address Safety earlier than that, though. Boise St's JL Skinner is my favorite 2023 Safety prospect.
Agree that Kincaid is a great prospect. Tucker Kraft of South Dakota St, Darnell Washington of Georgia, and Michael Mayer of Notre Dame are also excellent prospects.
stockholder
December 10, 2022 at 04:58 pm
The best edge guys will be gone by 15. Try OL. Because Jenkins will want to be the top paid guard in the NFL.
PhantomII
December 10, 2022 at 05:46 pm
I think we could/ should let Jenkins walk. If he had not been injured and still not the force he was...I might think differently. The OL flux is how Gute has been using FA for the team by letting OL walk in FA. Then using FA mostly on defense. I see it continuing. Maybe a high draft pick for OL this time...But I think we're ok if we play some bigger rooks the final games to see. Definitely hope there is a difference maker TE in RD1-2 though. If we could only get a Gronk 2.0 or Kelce....
PackyCheese500
December 10, 2022 at 06:13 pm
I don't think we should let him walk. I think we should place the franchise tag on him and trade him. That way at least we can get some draft compensation for him, like we did with Adams last year. Probably a 2nd is what I am thinking
PackyCheese500
December 10, 2022 at 06:21 pm
Something we finally agree on (lol)! I think we should place the franchise tag on Jenkins and trade him to an OL needy team (Raiders, Steelers). That way at least we can get some draft compensation for him, like we did with Adams last year. Probably a 2nd is what I am thinking.
O'Cyrus Torrence of Florida is my favorite Guard prospect. He is 347 lbs, but you'd think he is 50 lbs lighter than that the way he moves. He is a rock in pass protection and is a mauler in the run game; he was given a 100 run blocking rating by NFL draft buzz. Mid-first is what I'm thinking for him.
Then there's also Peter Skoronski of Northwestern, Cooper Beebe of Kansas St, and Andrew Vorhees of USC. Skoronski is a top-10 Tackle prospect, but he would likely fit at Guard better at the NFL level. Vorhees and Beebe are 2nd-round prospects; Beebe was given a 100 pass protection rating by NFL draft buzz, and Vorhees has elite physical traits, being able to bench press 225 40 times.
I do think there is a good possibility we land a top-10 pick, somewhere around the 8-12 range is most likely in my opinion. Tyree Wilson of Texas Tech is a guy we could nab there, although he may actually work better as a 3-4 Defensive End than an OLB.
Even so, there are other guys we could get even with a first-rounder not in the top 15. Jared Verse of Florida St. is one of my top 3 favorite EDGE prospects. My other favorites are Will McDonald IV of Iowa St and Zach Harrison of Ohio St, both of whom are early-mid second round prospects in my opinion
Fubared
December 10, 2022 at 09:44 pm
This team need so much shit any combo will work.
Fubared
December 10, 2022 at 09:39 pm
First replace Barry the weakest link. Bring in a defensive coach who knows talent and how to put a plan together. This defensive scheme hasn't worked since capers elephant scheme.
Schemes are for teams with crap players who can't tackle, can't cover, and are slow of foot and mind..IMo Barry will stay because any top d coach would want to Gutt this d and spend money they don't have and we can't afford top talent.
I expect little change next year. The money and will to change ain't there
BAMABADGER
December 11, 2022 at 01:25 pm
It's difficult to analyze any DB/S player on this team with the soft scheme that Joe B stubbornly implements. Several players are not utilized at their best natural position. Each game, they appear ill prepared and confused setting up and executing. That is on the D coaching staff. I hope we don't make the same mistake that was made when we released Micah Hyde and not firing Dom Capers