Green Bay Packers: 3 Defensive Backs in the Spotlight
These three Green Bay Packers’ defensive backs will have every opportunity to earn significant playing time in the year ahead.
The top of the Green Bay Packers‘ depth chart is set when it comes to their secondary. With Jaire Alexander and Kevin King firmly holding down the starting cornerback jobs and Adrian Amos and Darnell Savage the starting safeties, there is no battle for the top four jobs. However, the competition is tight behind them.
Defensive coordinator Mike Pettine loves to use five or six defensive backs at one time, especially in this pass-heavy league. He also prefers versatile players in his secondary who can provide support to both the run and pass. With lots of playing time up in the air, let’s take a look at three Packers’ defensive backs who have been in the spotlight after the first week of training camp.
Josh Jackson
A 2018 second-round pick, Josh Jackson has impressed in training camp so far. After bouncing around different positions in his first two years, Pettine has Jackson playing exclusively at the outside cornerback position and it appears it’s making a difference. Jackson has been able to use his excellent length and physicality to disrupt receivers and make life difficult for them. I wonder if there’s a world where he could start on the outside and Jaire Alexander bumps inside?
Raven Greene
The Packers missed Raven Greene when he was out with an injury last season and they hope to have his services for the full year. Greene is the all-important fifth defensive back Pettine loves to use in place of a second inside linebacker. He can play close to the line of scrimmage to stop the run and cover tight ends and backs. Greene has the first opportunity to earn that job and it doesn’t appear that he will be conceding it any time soon.
Chandon Sullivan
When Green Bay decided not to bring back Tramon Williams, it opened up playing time as the nickel corner. One possibility is Jackson on the outside and Alexander sliding to the slot in those scenarios. A more likely possibility is Alexander sticking on the outside full time with Chandon Sullivan entering as the third corner.
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Sullivan already has the confidence of his coaching staff and teammates, with most of them singing high praise over the first week of camp. He’ll have the opportunities to build on the momentum he’s created and enter Week 1 with a lot of responsibilities on his plate.