What are our SS options if Collins is out?

play2win
Senior Member Topic Starter

13 years ago

Thinking this may be the end of Collins' career as a player. Should that be the case, what are our options in filling his position?

1. Free Agency:

Chris Hope - A great veteran S who is a UFA. He has yet to sign with anyone, and it makes me think he might be waiting for word on Collins like the rest of us. Played for PIT and TEN over past 10 years. Won a SB with PIT. Might be a lot like a Eugene Robinson type of signing.

Reggie Smith - UFA - SF. Visited with STL but left without a contract. Might also be looking to GB. Not sure how good he is.

Jim Leonhard - UFA - Jets. Tore patellar tendon right knee wk 14. Tough to gauge if he can come back.

Charles Godfrey - UFA - CAR. He could be a good pickup, 5 INTs in 2010.

James Sanders - UFA - ATL. Used to play for NE.

There are a bunch of FA Safeties listed here:

http://www.kffl.com/static/nfl/features/freeagents/fa.php?option=All&y=2012

2. Advance on roster:

MD Jennings

Anthony Levine - they seemed high on this kid before his concussion last year.

3. Draft:

Mark Barron - ALA - would be an absolute stud for us.

Harrison Smith - ND - No INTs, at all, concerns me.

Antonio Allen - SC

Brandon Taylor - LSU

Matt Daniels - Duke

George Iloka - Boise St. - 6' 4" 225!!!

Tysyn Hartman - Kansas St.

Markelle Martin - Oklahoma St. - pinched nerve & fluid on knee 2/24/12 - no thanks

Sean Cattouse - CAL - 6' 2" 211 - a possibility

Just thought I'd throw this little bit of info out there. Players were listed in no particular order. Wish I knew more about them. I think we are OK at S, even if Collins is unable to return - just not great. Adding a top draft talent here could be really good for us going forward.

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wpr
Preferred Member

13 years ago

barron is rated 29th in one mock. Going anywhere from 15th to 27th. If Collins is truly done Uncle Ted has to look at Safety and move up if need be to get him and hope the FA he has already added to the DL are enough.

My concern is if he is more of a SS than a FS that won't help much.

03/24/2012 - NFL DRAFT SCOUT TOP DEFENSIVE BACKS: Mark Barron, Alabama, 6-1, 213...Barron's rating is a bit tenuous after recent surgery for a double hernia that kept him out of the scouting combine and Alabama's March 7 pro day workouts. A consensus All-American and All-SEC player, Barron was a leader in Alabama's devastating, No. 1-ranked defense. If his feet were as quick as his instincts, he would be a great free safety, but Barron is built like and plays like an outstanding strong safety. He has exceptional read-and-react skills, gets a quick jump on passes and has great hand-eye coordination going for the ball. All this somewhat compensates for his lack of great speed. On run support, Barron plays with a good balance of patience and aggression that keeps or puts him in the middle of plays that others might overrun. While he does make the occasional big hit, Barron is more of a textbook tackler. Barron was arrested in March of last year after police believed he was not telling the truth regarding a one-car accident in his hometown of Mobile. - Frank Cooney, The Sports Xchange

Jennings, Levine and rookie will probably all compete for the job. Woodson may get some burn at safety if House becomes a player, which I fully expect.

play2win
Senior Member Topic Starter

13 years ago

Dakota, I agree with you that they will get play in the mix.

I do think the loss of Collins last season was very big for our team. He's one of the top 3 Safeties in the NFL. How could that not hurt? However, I don't know that this shifts our drafting priorities/needs at the very top. I look at pass rush as being paramount to any good defense. Solid, continuous pressure on the QB makes everybody look good. Has the importance of pass rush increased in today's NFL, with the more O friendly rule changes? I think so.

Replacing Collins will be a tall order, and might be impossible. But, the loss of his leadership and ability could be offset with the addition of a sound, veteran UFA, and 2 or 3 more starting calibre DL/OLB.

Man, do I wonder what Charles Woodson has to say about this!?! I wouldn't doubt if he has shared his thoughts with Mike & Ted.

I heard somewhere that Barron had double hernia repair. That is a red flag to me. I do not want us to draft another player coming off an injury, ever again. While hernia repair kind of minor, it isn't always. That could affect his speed year 1. Not sure about spending an R1 for him now.

Zero2Cool
Elite Member

13 years ago

I thought we squashed this Charles Woodson to Safety thing when he said he wasn't moving and the coaches also said the same thing. Why does it keep getting brought up? Should we bring up how the 2010 Packers should have traded a 2nd or 3rd for Marshawn Lynch too?

When Nick Collins retires, the Packers won't replace him. They will just field 10 men on defense. It's just a factoid you all need to accept.

Nonstopdrivel
Preferred Member

13 years ago

So that's the Perfect Ten defense we keep hearing about on the rumor pages.

play2win
Senior Member Topic Starter

13 years ago

Originally Posted by: Zero2Cool

I don't understand your meaning. I brought up Woodson, only wanting to know who he would like added to the defense at Safety. I bet he has some very strong opinions on how this will be addressed. Nowhere did I suggest he change positions.

Zero2Cool
Elite Member

13 years ago

Originally Posted by: play2win

Someone else mentioned moving Charles Woodson to Safety. No worries, I don't understand my meaning either. 🙂

DakotaT
Select Member

13 years ago

Originally Posted by: Zero2Cool

Probably because he has gotten slower and gets too many holding calls to play bump and run anymore. It's about getting your best players on the field, not about appeasing and aging veteran's ego.

Zero2Cool
Elite Member

13 years ago

#10

Probably because he has gotten slower and gets too many holding calls to play bump and run anymore. It's about getting your best players on the field, not about appeasing and aging veteran's ego.

Originally Posted by: DakotaT

And I won't appease your aging ego either and why are the coaches saying he's not moving?

The Packers don't play much bump an run anymore, unless I missed something? I recall many times folks here whining about "why is the CB giving such a big ass cushion!".

Charles Woodson has missed more tackles the last two years than any other Packers player. Why would anyone want that player at Safety, the last line of defense??

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