The Good News: NFC North Secondaries Take Big Hit

Six quality defensive backs have left the NFC North, which should make life easier for Aaron Rodgers in Year 2 under Matt LaFleur.

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Mar 22, 2020 10:39 AM EDT

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Through almost a full week of free agency, it’s almost impossible to argue the Green Bay Packers are a better team today than they were last season. Nonetheless, there could be one positive coming from the start of free agency for Aaron Rodgers and Co.

The cornerback position for Green Bay’s NFC North rivals has taken a hit, which could help what figures to be a retooled Packers passing attack.

Video: The Packers' moves in free agency

The Minnesota Vikings, with all sorts of salary-cap troubles, had to gut their cornerback corps. After releasing declining veteran Xavier Rhodes, the Vikings lost Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander to Cincinnati. Those three played the most snaps of the Vikings’ corners last season. Under Mike Zimmer, the Vikings have been driven by their defense. Are Mike Hughes, Holton Hill and Kris Boyd up to the task? A couple of backup safeties, Andrew Sendejo and Jayron Kearse, have departed, as well.

The Chicago Bears released veteran cornerback Prince Amukamara and lost starting safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix to Dallas. The only addition is cornerback Artie Burns, a disappointment as a first-round pick by Pittsburgh in 2016. Burns had three picks as a rookie but started six of 16 games in 2018 and one of 10 games in 2019 with a passer rating allowed of about 150 over that span, according to Pro Football Focus.

The Detroit Lions traded premier cornerback Darius Slay to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for third- and fifth-round draft picks. They did a nice job filling the hole with Desmond Trufant, a cap casualty in Atlanta, but it’s still a sizable step back from Slay. In nine games last season, Trufant had four interceptions but also gave up five touchdowns, according to Pro Football Focus. Over the last three seasons, he’s given up 15 touchdowns vs. six interceptions. Slay, on the other hand, has given up 12 touchdowns but intercepted 13 passes over that span.

Of course, Green Bay’s passing game isn’t any better, either. A Hail Mary on one of the best receivers in the league wasn’t answered, and Emmanuel Sanders chose to sign with New Orleans. That might force the Packers to count on a draft pick to emerge opposite Davante Adams, a risky proposition under the best of circumstances but potentially even riskier with the COVID-19 pandemic threatening to wipe out some, if not all, of the offseason program.