One of the biggest contributing factors to the Packers finishing 24th in the league against the pass in 2013 was the back end of the secondary. Green Bay's safeties netted zero interceptions and only eight pass deflections last season. In 2012, that same position group netted four picks and twelve deflections. In 2011, the year Nick Collins played the final two games of his career, the group totaled eight interceptions and 24 pass deflections.
Since the loss of Collins, the safety position has been a liability in Green Bay. Charles Woodson served admirably as a stop-gap, but since the future Hall of Famer's departure prior to 2013, the Packers have lacked a ball-hawking presence on the back end.
In 2014, due to a combination of acquisitions, healthy returns and position switches, the safety position is now as deep as it has been in years. Defensive Coordinator Dom Capers has four legitimate options to fill his two safety spots in 2014:
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
The rookie out of Alabama was the player Packers fans were calling for from the moment they opened draft guides in January. In a rare "need meets best player available" moment for GM Ted Thompson, Clinton-Dix was selected 21st overall in the first round to bring some fresh talent to the secondary. Clinton-Dix demonstrated the ball skills (7 picks, 15 pass deflections) and tackling ability (58 tackles) in his college career that the Packers will look to translate to NFL success.
Micah Hyde
One of the more intriguing in-house options at safety just made the switch to that position this offseason. Hyde, a second-year player out of Iowa, played primarily at nickel corner in 2013 when a hamstring issue kept Casey Hayward out for most of the season. Hyde displayed prowess against the pass, but his tackling is what sets him apart from other corners. With a potential logjam at corner that would prevent Hyde from getting playing time, the Packers moved him to safety. Thus far, the transition has been nearly seamless, and Hyde is looking more and more like his predecessor, Woodson.
Sean Richardson
Richardson has struggled to stay on the field thus far in his career, and a neck injury threatened to end it entirely. With those problems appearing to be in the past, the third-year Vanderbilt product is finally ready to contend for a starting job. Richardson is making big plays in training camp thus far, and has garnered praise from Mike McCarthy and media members who cover the team. It remains to be seen whether this will translate to regular season on-field success, but the organization has high hopes for Richardson in 2014.
Morgan Burnett
Although Burnett was definitely part of the problem in the defensive passing game in 2013, he has been a tackling machine. His 319 tackles since 2011 are good for second best among defensive backs. That is both a testament to Burnett's play as well as a knock on how the rest of the team is playing if the safety has to make all those stops. Regardless, it will be on Burnett's shoulders to not only improve his pass defense, but maintain his reputation as a top tackler if he wants to hang on to his job.
The Packers will have plenty of prospects to take over their top two safety spots in 2014. If they all continue to push each other in camp, the position could go from a weakness in 2013 to a strength in this coming season.
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