Xavier McKinney and Evan Williams make a pretty darn good tandem, and the safety group has quickly gone from a massive hole to a massive strength for the Green Bay Packers over a very brief period. With those two players locking down the back end and Javon Bullard taking a big step forward in the slot last season, the Packers have a trio of safeties as good as any in the NFL.
Expect them to all be on the field for most of the team’s defensive snaps this season, as well. This week, we learned that
new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon is very particular about the slot position in his defense, specifically in that he wants safeties at that position instead of a more traditional smaller cornerback.
That should help explain why Packers fans have not seen players like Keisean Nixon or Carrington Valentine in the slot this summer. The team is looking for a different approach at that position, one that seems to be better filled by Kamal Hadden when the team looks for a cornerback to contribute there.
Hadden has been getting more and more reps in the slot with Bullard recovering from an ankle issue, and Wednesday was his best performance to date. Let’s look at why he appears to be a good fit at that spot in this defense in today’s Cheese CUrds.
Packers defensive coordinator Gannon wants slot corners to be safeties | Packersnews.com ($)
Gannon appears to be a firm believer that safeties, not corners, have the better body type and playing style to fit in the slot in his scheme. This is a good look into why that is from the players who have been lining up there for much of training camp, and it should help explain why Kitan Oladapo has been the next man up after Bullard.
5 things learned at Packers training camp – Aug. 19 | Packers.com
Kamal Hadden is pushing hard for the backup slot job, however, and he has been impressing when rotating in with the 1s. Though he has mostly played perimeter cornerback, Hadden has just a little bit of slot and safety background and he has good size, making the transition a bit easier.
Nickel, Dime: Play and Player of Day From Practice 14 of Packers Training Camp | SI.comHadden gets some praise in this writeup as well, as he picked off a pass from Kyle McCord on Wednesday, but McCord got his own big play with a beautiful rainbow to J. Michael Sturdivant for a big gain.
Packers rookie Dani Dennis-Sutton returns to field after heat-related illness | Packers Wire
Fans old enough to remember when Vikings lineman Korey Stringer died of heat stroke during training camp should appreciate that the NFL appears to have robust protocols in place for addressing players who show similar signs.
Seahawks sign CB Trevon Diggs as Terrion Arnold deal remains in limbo | NFL.com
The one-time (briefly) Packer lands with a new team.
Cannabis facility goes up in smoke near High River | CBC
Does the High River flow into Munchies Bay?
Green Bay Packers News in the Feed
This cutup of locker room interviews shows the leadership that McKinney has with this team, as he has been taking the rookie kicker under his wing a bit. But Smack’s final comment says it all: “He’s dead serious…and I’m dead serious, too.”
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