How did the team have clear need at Safety with Morgan Burnett and Micah Hyde? Hell, even Sean Richardson was smashing people. The secondary was a strength, not a clear need. That 2014 draft left a lot to be desired once you got out of the middle of round one. Ha'Sean was nothing more than the best available at the 21st spot. I'm prepared to fight you on this. LET'S GET READY TO RUMMMMMMMMMMMMMBLE!!
If the Packers were going to draft for a need, it would have been someone like Dee Ford or Kyle Van Noy. Someone on the front seven, not the back four.
Originally Posted by: Zero2Cool
As beast points out, Hyde was still the slot CB and was only just began getting time as a FS that year. Also, GB wanted another S to run the
Big Okie unit :
Capers concocted two different packages designed to maximize the 6-foot-2, 216-pound safety's skill set. The first, the Big Okie, saw Richardson sub into their 3-4 base defense as a third safety in place of a perimeter cornerback. The second, the Big Nickel, dropped Richardson into the slot.
If you want a unit with 3 safeties and two them are going to be Burnett and Richardson (and Hyde stays at CB), that means you need a FS/centerfield type and your options are:
a. Roll with 2nd year UDFA Chris Banjo at FS
b. Continue the Jerron McMillian experience
c. Sign someone in FA
d. Draft someone like HaHa or Jimmie Ward
Datone Jones and Josh Boyd were entering their 2nd year and Nick Perry and Mike Daniels their 3rd. Mike Neal had signed an extension before 2013. Throw in Ted signing Letroy Guion and Julius Peppers as well as Clay still fooling people into thinking he was a full time OLB, the needs on defense were ILB and FS. In the run up to the draft, I distinctly remember the talk being either CJ Mosley or HaHa if one would fall to GB. Had GB signed a safety instead of Peppers, I'd imagine the debate would have been CJ Mosley or Dee Ford.
Hyde was a slot CB for the Packers, Richardson was used as an athletic zone LB, whom you didn't want in man coverage. Burnett was good, but not a FS. Packers had no FS...
Off my head, I don't remember the exact CB situation they were in during Haha's draft. But I remember there was times everyone was demanding Hyde become a Safety, but the Packers depth at CB was so thin, I didn't believe they could even consider it, as they needed more CB help.
I believe most where saying Safety was a huge need, and mocking Haha if he were to fall that far.
Originally Posted by: beast
CBs at the time were Tramon, Shields, Hayward, Hyde, House, Goodson and Bush. Tramon had been playing through a nerve injury for several years and I think people were afraid he was on the decline as he hadn't played as well as he had since the Super Bowl run. Shields had started to ascend in 2013. Hayward had a great rookie year and then had a injury plagued 2013, so there was a question as to how he would fare in his 3rd year. I think Hyde was seen as a "super-sub" (great backup but not starter material) while House was well, House. Goodson was a rookie and Bush was there for ST.