Green Bay Packers: DJ Swearinger could help in running game

The Arizona Cardinals have released safety DJ Swearinger and the Green Bay Packers should consider signing him to help in the running game.

The safety position for the Green Bay Packers is one that needed quite a bit of retooling after last season’s dreadful performance by the position group. So naturally, that is exactly what GM Brian Gutekunst did with the offseason additions of Adrian Amos in free agency and Darnell Savage in the draft.

While both Amos and Savage have been fantastic additions, in Mike Pettine’s defense that utilizes three safeties quite often, the Packers have really been missing Raven Greene since he got injured. Especially in the running game.

The last two weeks this Green Bay Packers’ defense has really been gashed by Denver and Philadelphia’s running games, particularly between the tackles. Right now Will Redmond just isn’t getting the job done and for the Packers to get back on track, they’ll have to figure out how to slow down their opponent’s rushing attack.

Enter DJ Swearinger who has just been released by the Arizona Cardinals where he was claimed off of waivers last December. And of the three teams that put in a claim on Swearinger at that time, Gutekunst and the Packers were one of the three.

Prior to his short stint in Arizona, Swearinger had spent previous two seasons in Washington where he had totaled eight interceptions, 20 pass deflections, four forced fumbles, 1.5 sacks, and 103 tackles. Certainly not bad production at all.

Through four games this season, he had 28 total tackles and played in 100 percent of Arizona’s defensive snaps up to this point, but Swearinger has struggled mightily in coverage allowing a passer rating of 145.3 when he’s been targeted. However, if the Packers were to bring him in, it would be to play down in the box where Swearinger’s physical nature and ability as a run-stopper could take over.

With Amos and Savage on the back-end, Green Bay doesn’t need Swearinger playing free safety as often as he did in Arizona. Instead, they need someone who can line up next to Blake Martinez to help in the run game but is still more athletic and versatile than BJ Goodson if he does need to drop into coverage. Well, Swearinger just may be the right guy for that job.

With roughly $9.8 million in cap space still available, the Green Bay Packers could likely bring Swearinger in on a one-year “prove it” deal at a reasonable price, just as they did last season with Bashaud Breeland.

Green Bay needs to figure out how to slow down the running game between the tackles and they did just try to land Swearinger last season. So that coupled with his skill set, it may not be a bad idea to try to sign him once again.