Pack-A-Day Podcast - Episode 2312 - The Packers Have Failed at Cornerback
On today's show, Andy takes a closer look at the cornerback position and why the front office has let the team down at a key position.
By AndyHerman
On today's show, Andy takes a closer look at the cornerback position and why the front office has let the team down at a key position.
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Andy is a graduate of UW-Oshkosh and owns & operates the Pack-A-Day Podcast. Andy has taken multiple courses in NFL scouting and is an Editor for Packer Report. Andy grew up in Green Bay and is a lifelong season ticket holder - follow him on Twitter @AndyHermanNFL!
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Comments (9)
NFLfan
November 23, 2024 at 09:07 am
I appreciate the honesty.
I talked about the weak Corner room many times in pre-season and was crushed with criticism. This weakness was obvious to anyone who looked @ it objectively.
It's a good sign that contributors such as Lass and Herman are shining a light on the Packer's defensive roster construction and talking openly about the poor Pass Rush and Corner play. Not everything is up to Love.
If they weren't going to fortify Corner play-why trade Rasul? Nixon is over-paid @ 18 M and is not an adequate CB-SMH.
No one wants to say it but there has been too much wasted Draft Capital on first round defensive players who are either mediocre, fail immediately but are left on the field too long (to justify)--LVN, Walker; those who flame out too soon; Stokes, Alexander or regress or stall -Clark, Gary. There are no remaining reliable first round defensive vets on this team. Poor personnel choice has kept this Defense churning in mediocrity.
The new additions now have to pick up the slack.
Let's be honest-Gary was not strong pre-Hafley.
Leatherhead
November 23, 2024 at 07:31 pm
Kaisean Nixon is making about $4M, and will be about $4M in dead money if he's traded or released after the season. He hasn't missed much time in three years because of injury. He was one of our leaders in snap counts and tackles last year. This year, he's 3rd in solo tackles and 2nd in snaps. On the #10 scoring defense in the NFL.
Can you explain how that is accomplished with all these guys who 'aren't good enough' in your eyes? LVN, Walker, Clark, Gary, Alexander, Stokes, Nixon....that's half our defense. Is the other half that good?
Lphill
November 23, 2024 at 05:59 pm
How did they not draft a corner early or trade for some veteran help ?
Leatherhead
November 23, 2024 at 07:41 pm
I believe the thinking had to be that they'd start Alexander and Stokes with Nixon at nickel, with Valentine, Ballantine, Rochelle, King, et. al fighting it out for the remaining spots. Maybe our experience during the Gutekunst years has them rethinking the strategy of taking these guys early. Even before him, the franchise had some disappointments with highly drafted CBs.
You know, when you fire the DC who had the #10 scoring defense last year, the assumption is that the players would be better with a different coach. I don't think you can then pivot and say the players weren't "good enough". If we could win with Ballantine, Valentine, and Nixon, as our corners last year,we should be able to do it again this year. I mean, we have a better coach now, right? With better safeties behind them? Yes?
PackersNightingale
November 23, 2024 at 08:51 pm
They did have Rasul Douglas - we know what happened there.
Leatherhead
November 23, 2024 at 10:43 pm
Uh, the Buffalo Bills thought he might help them get over the top....they didn't....and they offered us a pick around #90 for him. The Packers were struggling and not really headed to the playoffs so they thought "whynot?"
And then the team started playing better and we made the playoffs, and Valentine did a real good job in his place.
Is that what happened?
Bitternotsour
November 23, 2024 at 11:02 pm
and the defense actually improved when he left. and he wasn't going to be re-signed. end. of. story.
It's business Sonny, it's not personal.
PackersNightingale
November 25, 2024 at 10:04 pm
The Packers passing defense at corner regressed with Gutey's trading of Rasul and has never recovered.
And oh no “Sonny” with rightfully insecure Gute it was and is all personal.
Always cheer the players – be it Rasul or Eric Stokes or now Carrington, etc..
The players know the reality of the insecure “Gute”.
Never cheer an armchair GM who disrespects and is fearful of any veteran that speaks the truth and speaks truth to power:
Jaire Alexander:
“I was pretty surprised, to say the least,” Alexander said, while adding, “I didn’t expect Rasul to be gone. He’s a vet. He’s made a bunch of plays throughout his time here, but that’s just the NFL.”
Carrington Valentine:
“We took a blow,” Valentine said. “It stung a little bit, but at the end of the day, you’ve got to keep going.”
Jordan Love:
“I think everybody in the locker room was pretty surprised,” Love said. “It’s tough. It hurts.”
Nixon:
“I’m gonna miss ’Sul a lot just because he always kept me locked in,” Nixon said. “If I get a little sidetracked, ’Sul’s always the one just to keep me locked in on football and now my boy not here no more, so it’s gonna be tough trying to figure it out right now.”
Aaron Jones:
'It was a moment I've never had,' Jones said.
'I've never had somebody that close to me get traded… We both started talking and shed a few tears. It's been a long journey for both of us.
'When you got somebody on the other side of the ball who is a mirror of you, who believes in the same things, same work ethic, you know what you're gonna get out of them. It's tough losing a brother like that.'
All this is on Gute – he has no respect for veteran leadership on the field or in the locker room and that alone will keep the Packers from another Super Bowl win.
PackersNightingale
November 25, 2024 at 09:50 pm
“Is that what happened?”
Actually no, with Rasul through the first 7 games ending with the Vikings and Kirk Cousins, the Packers defensive passer rating was 89.6 and the Packers allowed 6.4 yards per pass attempt, 8 passing touchdowns and intercepted 4 passes.
Without Rasul for the last 10 games playing the Vikings without Kirk Cousin and the Rams without Matthew Stafford and instead Jordan Love’s college rival, the immortal Brett Rypien, the Packers defensive passer rating was 94.4 and the Packers allowed 7.0 yards per pass attempt, 11 passing touchdowns and intercepted 3 passes.
With Rasul – who is a durable player and sure tackler and defender and better than Carrington Valentine and Corey Ballantine and Eric Stokes, etc. - the Packers would have won more regular season games for better playoff seeding and advanced past the 49ers into the NFC Championship game.
Rasul’s numbers for 9 regular season games in Buffalo - after “Gutey” got rid of yet another Packer veteran who Gutey feared - as the Bills entered their playoff run stretch were the following:
38.6 passer rating and 51.3% completion rate and 4 interceptions.
No Packer corner back was close to that for the Packers last 10 games of 2023.
I travelled to the Packers game in Miami Christmas Day in 2022 and it was Rasul who PUT THE LIGHTS OUT on the Dolphins’ day with 1 minute and 35 seconds left and Packers up by just 26 to 20 – as he did time and time before and after with other opponents - and kept the Packers season alive.
Rasul - a TRUE DOG - and Jaire were key to shutting down Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill that day.
We shall see how the current batch, more of the work of Gute – Valentine, Stokes, Ballantine, Rochell, et all – do on Thanksgiving night vs. Hill and Waddle.
I hope well, because as with Jordan, it is not Valentine, Stokes, Ballantine and Rochell’s fault that Gutey has picked them where he did – Stokes – or off the scrap heap – Ballantine and Rochell - and they are all in OVER THEIR HEADS.
Nixon was a good pickup, but Nixon is Bisaccia’s choice not “Gutey’s”.