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Green Bay Packers should trade Ha Ha Clinton-Dix before deadline

By Brian Sampson

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - NOVEMBER 23: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix #21 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates breaking up a pass during the fourth quarter of the game against the Minnesota Vikings on November 23, 2014 at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Packers defeated the Vikings 24-21. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - NOVEMBER 23: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix #21 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates breaking up a pass during the fourth quarter of the game against the Minnesota Vikings on November 23, 2014 at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Packers defeated the Vikings 24-21. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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Ha Ha Clinton-Dix doesn’t expect to be back with the Green Bay Packers next season. To that I say, good riddance.

Entering the 2017 NFL season, the safety position was thought to be under control for the Green Bay Packers. After all, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Morgan Burnett locked down the starting spots and were solid in their play. Clinton-Dix was coming off a Pro Bowl season and looked to be on his way to becoming one of the better safeties in the league.

Behind them, Ted Thompson used a second round pick on Josh Jones in anticipation of Burnett leaving via free agency the following year. Kentrell Brice was also expected to be a productive backup for the Packers.

Fast forward one year and the position is a complete mess. Burnet is gone as anticipated, however, Jones has been a bust so far. He hardly sees the field and is very bad in coverage. Brice, who won the starting job over Jones this year, has been bad as well. He often plays out of control and has zero ball skills to speak of.

Even through all of that, Clinton-Dix had an opportunity to anchor the position. Unfortunately, he’s been the biggest mess of them all.

Clinton-Dix, who recently said he doesn’t think he’ll be back in Green Bay next season, has been in a downward spiral over the past two seasons. He consistently plays out of control, doesn’t want to tackle anybody and is often out of position in pass coverage which leads to wide open players in the end zone.

On Monday, Clinton Dix had this to say about his time in Green Bay: “Right now, I’m playing each and every gam like it’s my last. I don’t think I’m going to be here next year. That’s how I look at it. I just (have to) be honest with myself. You’ve got to play it game-by-game. Whether we’re losing by 60 points, you’ve got to go out there and perform. This is my biggest interview of my career.”

That type of individual mindset is absolutely horrible for the locker room and something the Packers tried to get rid of when they traded Damarius Randall in the offseason. With free agency obviously on the forefront of Clinton-Dix’ mind, the Packers should make the move first and trade him.

Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done and the Packers’ front office would have to work hard to find a suitable trade partner.

For one, they are likely to get a fourth round compensation pick if he walks via free agency so that’s the lowest bar they should set. The other complicating factor is that they don’t have a suitable placement behind him. With Clinton-Dix off the team, Marwin Evans would be the next safety up for Green Bay.

However, if the Packers can wade through those mucky waters, a trade should absolutely be on the table. If they continue to allow Clinton-Dix to be in the locker room, his “me-first” mindset is likely to spread to the other players. As Green Bay still has major team goals they are trying to achieve, Clinton-Dix is only thinking about himself. And for that reason, he must go.

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