GREEN BAY, Wis. -- In advance of the Green Bay Packers' first training camp practice on Thursday, we break down each position group.
Next up, defensive backs.
Returning players: Casey Hayward, Sam Shields, Demetri Goodson, Morgan Burnett, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Micah Hyde, Sean Richardson, Jean Fanor (practice squad last year), Tay Glover-Wright (practice squad).
Gone from last season: Jarrett Bush, Davon House, Tramon Williams.
New this season: Damarious Randall (first-round pick), Quinten Rollins (second-round pick), LaDarius Gunter (undrafted rookie), Kyle Sebetic (street free agent).
Position coach: Cornerbacks – Joe Whitt (seventh season, previously was defensive quality control assistant, 2008); Safeties – Darren Perry (seventh season).
Biggest issue: General manager Ted Thompson used his first two draft picks this year on projected cornerbacks, but neither Randall nor Rollins is a lock to become an immediate starter. Randall played mostly at safety for Arizona State and will not only have to adjust to the NFL game but also to playing on the perimeter. "Really no different," Randall said last month of the transition to cornerback. "A lot of people say that I move like a corner, and that just feels like my natural position. That's something I did in junior college and in high school." Rollins played only one year of football at Miami (Ohio) after switching over from basketball, so his adjustment might be even tougher. "I want to get to a level of comfort where I'm still not questioning myself," Rollins said during last month's minicamp. "Even though sometimes I may be right, I think I'm wrong. Just trying to find a level of confidence to where I know I'm right and then I can play, instead of being sometimes hesitant. That's going to come with the more reps I get."
Player to watch: While most eyes were on Randall and Rollins, another rookie cornerback -- Gunter -- stood out during the offseason. The undrafted free agent from Miami (Fla.) showed big-time coverage ability OTAs and minicamp, albeit without pads. "He's shown to me that he deserves an opportunity to be in the conversation with those other two guys with how he's played," Whitt said. "He's going to be given that opportunity."
Medical report: Hayward missed all of the OTA and minicamp practices because of a foot injury he sustained early in the offseason. He will have to pass the team's physical on Wednesday in order to practice Thursday.
Help wanted: When Williams signed a three-year, $21 million contract with the Cleveland Browns and House signed a four-year, $24.5 million deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency this offseason, it ensured there would be at least one new starting cornerback this season. If healthy, Hayward may be the favorite for the job. The winner joins Shields plus safeties Burnett and Clinton-Dix as the starters in the secondary. But that doesn't mean others won't play. Defensive coordinator Dom Capers still needs to find his nickel and dime defensive backs. Hyde played the nickel most of last season, while Hayward played the dime.
Quotable: "I could care less if they were first-, second-, third-[round] picks," Whitt said this offseason. "I don't care about that. I have a room of men that I'm coaching, that I'm trying to get out of those 10, 11 men that are in my room. I'm trying to get two ready for our [base] package, three ready for our nickel package and four ready for our dime package. I don't care who it is. I've never cared who it was. Whoever it is, they'll be ready. But that is my job, to get two, three, four men ready to play."
Previous installments
Part 1: Quarterbacks
Part 2: Running backs
Part 3: Receivers
Part 4: Tight ends
Part 5: Offensive line
Part 6: Defensive line
Part 7: Linebackers
