GREEN BAY — If they are indeed without Morgan Burnett — and with the veteran starting safety listed as questionable for Sunday night's game at New Orleans with a calf injury, that's a very real possibility — the Green Bay Packers are better prepared to absorb such an absence than they were a year ago when Burnett was sidelined by a hamstring injury early in the season.
Although coach Mike McCarthy said earlier this week that Burnett is having his best season, the Packers may be able to get by without him with Micah Hyde, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and emerging backup Sean Richardson.
When Burnett missed the first three games last season with a hamstring injury, the Packers were forced to play Jerron McMillian alongside second starter M.D. Jennings — neither of whom is in the NFL at present.
Clinton-Dix and Hyde have been job-sharing at the spot alongside Burnett, although last week, with cornerback Sam Shields out with a knee injury, Hyde played primarily in the slot while Clinton-Dix got the start and played every defensive snap.
"I think we've got much better depth at the safety position," defensive coordinator Dom Capers said. "Last year when we opened the season, neither one of those guys had played much football. And that's never easy when you're going against the caliber of team we're playing against, to have two 'young' guys who don't have much experience.
"What we've tried to do with Ha is bring him along [slowly]. He played the most plays he's played last week. I think you've seen him show up and make plays each week, where you say, 'Hey!' You really like potentially what this guy's going to be."
The Packers have long had their safeties be interchangeable parts under Capers, although Burnett has spent more time closer to the line of scrimmage than Hyde and Clinton-Dix. Asked what would change if they played together, Hyde replied, "Nothing at all. Honestly, it doesn't matter what the combination is, it doesn't change our responsibilities. ... Everyone is supposed to know what's going on. We all watch film together. We all call the same plays. Whoever is in there is going to be fine."
Perhaps, but that doesn't mean safeties coach Darren Perry is indifferent to whether Burnett, the team's leading tackler, can go Sunday night against quarterback Drew Brees & Co..
"They're still young guys and as young guys, you always worry a little bit because they're just short on experience," Perry said. "We're going into our eighth game and so they still are relatively raw from that standpoint. Again, they're still learning, still growing.
"Hopefully we can keep it going and keep improving and not make too many mistakes against a really good quarterback. That will be very key, that we execute, we don't give them anything."
Jason Wilde wrote: