Going into training camp, there was reason to question whether the Green Bay Packers had enough quality depth to hold up at cornerback through a 16-game season.
Starter Al Harris was coming off major knee surgery, wouldnt be available for the start of practice, and still might not be ready to play early in the season.
Meanwhile, the two cornerbacks behind Harris, Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams were young players with thin resumes: Brandon Underwood and Pat Lee. Underwood, a seventh-round draft pick in 2009, showed natural cover ability as a rookie but also a glaring lack of maturity and professionalism; Lee, a second-round draft pick in 2008, had played in only five games in two seasons because of injuries.
In the offseason, General Manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy decided what degree to count on both when they chose not to add a cornerback in free agency or the draft. Now two weeks into training camp, the Packers are feeling more at ease about that decision. Underwood and Lee have played decent football while splitting snaps as the No. 3 cornerback, and its looking like the team is much better off than last year, when special-teamer Jarrett Bush was a liability at the end of the season.
I think (Underwood and Lee) are both on track, said Joe Whitt, the Packers cornerbacks coach. The competition is good there, theyre making plays, making sure theyre not giving up balls down the field. Thats my No. 1 concern, that we dont give up explosives. Theyre learning.
Underwood appears to have the edge for the nickel job right now based on training camp, where hes consistently worked ahead of Lee as the first cornerback off the bench.
In Saturday nights exhibition opener, Cleveland threw at Underwood several times, but he held up in a performance that included intercepting a badly underthrown pass by backup quarterback Colt McCoy.
On the Browns first drive of the night, which went for a touchdown, Underwood gave up back-to-back completions of seven and 12 yards the latter on a fourth-and-one play on which he had no help short or long and was beaten inside on a quick slant pattern by receiver Mohamed Massaquoi.
In the second quarter, Underwood was targeted at least three more times. He had decent bracket coverage underneath when safety Nick Collins helped over top and knocked away a potential 25-yard touchdown pass to Josh Cribbs. Later, Underwood closed quickly to drop receiver Jake Allen for a three-yard gain on a short pass. And in the final minute of the first half, he intercepted when McCoy made a poor decision and even worse throw into double coverage in the end zone.
The Packers have liked Underwoods quick reactions as a cover man since last year in training camp. The issue with him hasnt been ability, but dependability. As a rookie he had repeated problems showing up late for meetings, and this offseason he had a well-publicized incident in Lake Delton involving two women that could lead to him facing charges, possibly of solicitation.
Dom Capers, the Packers defensive coordinator, said Underwood has been on time for all meetings so far this year.
Those are the kind of things you have to earn over a period of time, to prove youre an accountable and responsible guy, Capers said. I think hes light years ahead of where he was. I think he understands more now that this is a business, that you arent in college anymore, and theres a lot of people that are depending on him.
In order to depend on somebody they have to earn that through their own accountability and through their job, and to this point in time he hasnt had any issues. Hes been working hard, hes a smart guy, hes a confident guy.
Underwood had a history of such problems before coming to Green Bay. He finished his college career at Cincinnati after getting kicked out of Ohio States team because of academic issues and repeated tardiness for meetings.
Ill just say, I was rookie last year, which is no excuse, Underwood said last week. I had to understand the professionalism, I wasnt as professional as I could have or should have been my first year. Just to still be here is a blessing, the coaches see something in me.
Lees problems in the NFL have been more mundane. He was hurt most of his two previous seasons in the league with back and knee injuries that have sidelined him for 27 of a possible 32 games, including all of last year.
His reactions arent as quick as Underwoods, but Lee has a better ability to read and anticipate routes.
Every once in a while (Lee) will have a lapse, but hes got some instincts, Capers said. One of the things hes good at is playing the ball up the field. If they go up on him and hes got his back to the ball, he can locate and find the ball, he does a nice job of that. Some guys, no matter how fast they are, their ball reaction when they have their back is turned, its not there. Ive had high draft picks like that.
While the Packers are feeling better about the two early in camp, the true test will come when Underwood and Lee are called on during the regular season.
Attrition will force them onto the field at some point, and considering Harris hasnt begun practicing yet, that could mean one of the two will be playing half or more of the regular-season opener as part of the Packers nickel package.
At the end of the day, Underwood said, our body of work through the course of the season will answer that (test).