In our tenth instalment of reviewing every player at every position, we look at the safety position.
Safeties
Adrian Amos
Free agent signing (4yrs, $36m) Amos started in all 16 regular season games and led the Packers on the defensive side of the ball by playing in 1,036 snaps (99.6% of all defensive plays). Amos had 2 interceptions (for 12 yards), 5 tackles for a loss and made 81 total tackles (65 solo) during the regular season. He also had 8 passes defensed, 1.0 sack and committed no penalties.
Amos suffered a ton pectoral muscle in the NFC championship Game against the 49ers that forced him out of the game – at the time of writing, it’s expected that his recovery from the injury will not require off-season surgery. Amos was named as alternate for the Pro Bowl.
Amos appeared to deliver exactly what the team had in mind when they signed him. A dependable team leader who plays consistently and will make the occasional splash play. More of the same will be expected from Amos in 2020.
Darnell Savage
Savage was the second of the Packers two first round draft picks in 2019 (21st overall pick) and brought an aggressive, confident demeanour to the safety spot. Playing in 14 games (all starts) in his rookie season, Savage helped solidify the safety position alongside Adrian Amos. He was in on 865 defensive plays (83.2% of the team’s defensive total). Savage had 2 interceptions (for 37 yards), 5 passes defensed, 2 forced fumbles, 5 QB pressures. He also notched up 55 total tackles (42 solo) including 1.5 for a loss and didn’t commit a single accepted penalty. His performance was good enough to make both the PFWA and PFF All-Rookie teams.
The Packers will be looking for Savage to grow even more in 2020. There’s no reason why he won’t – it’s in his own hands.
Raven Greene
Greene had won a pseudo-starting role as the third safety/linebacker hybrid – a position which is employed extensively by defensive co-ordinator Mike Pettine - before he suffered an ankle injury in the week 2 victory over the Vikings and was placed on injured reserve the following day. He spent the remainder of the regular season on the IR list, finally being activated again to the 53-man roster the day before the NFC Championship Game (he did not play in the game). He had 7 tackles (6 solo), 1 pass defensed in the 2 regular season games he played (with 1 start). He was in on 70 defensive snaps (6.7% of the team’s season defensive total).
Greene is expected to head into camp as the Packers “third safety” and clearly Mike Pettine likes him for his ability to play both pass and run. He will, of course, be challenged over the summer but in all likelihood will be a secure member of 53-man roster in 2020.
Will Redmond
Redmond played in 13 games (4 starts) and was in on 271 defensive plays (26.1% of the team’s defensive total). He notched up 28 tackles (19 solo), 2 tackles for a loss and 1 pass defensed. Redmond is a top-notch special teams player and was tied for the team lead with 8 special teams tackles. He played 187 special teams plays (43.6% of the team’s total). Redmond committed no accepted penalties.
Redmond was re-signed by the Packers after becoming an Exclusive Rights Free Agent in March.
Ibraheim Campbell
The Packers really liked Campbell last season before his ACL injury, so it was no surprise when they re-signed him on 8th August (he was subsequently placed on the physically unable to perform list whilst he continued his recovery). Campbell was activated to the 53-man roster on 5th November – replacing LB Tim Williams who was released the same day. Predominantly playing the hybrid safety/LB role (filling in for the injured Raven Greene), he played in 7 games (3 starts) and was in on 181 defensive plays (17.4% of the team’s defensive total). Campbell recorded 13 tackles (8 solo), 0.5 tackles for a loss and 1 forced fumble. He gave up 1 penalty (holding).
Campbell’s contract status for the 2020 is unclear at the time of writing. Under normal circumstances he should be an unrestricted free agent, however under the special rules in the CBA that apply to a player who goes onto the Physically Unable to Perform List in the last year of his contract, it may be that the Packers have the opportunity to roll his 2019 contract and bring him back on the same terms in 2020.
Natrell Jamerson
Jamerson was signed by the Packers late in the 2018 season, after previously having spent time with the New Orleans Saints and Houston Texans. Having played 2 games for the Packers in 2018, he returned to the team in 2019 and competed training camp and the pre-season for a spot on the roster at the safety position. Unfortunately, he didn’t quite make it and was waived at the final cut-down to the 53-man roster on 31st August.
Tray Matthews
Matthews spent time on the Packers' Practice Squad in 2018 and was signed to a futures contract by the team for 2019. He competed in camp and pre-season for a roster spot but was waived at the final cut-down to the 53-man roster on 31st August. In December, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed him to their Practice Squad
Josh Jones
Jones was the Packers' 2nd round selection in the 2017 NFL draft but he never came through in either 2017 or 2018 as the team would have hoped for. In 2019, having been a competitor for the hybrid safety-linebacker spot, Jones was struggling to beat out the likes of Raven Greene to the point where he asked for a trade in the spring. He appeared to make a little peace with the team during camp but was waived on 25th August. He subsequently spent a little time with the Dallas Cowboys before they released him. In December, Jones was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Mike Tyson
Tyson was claimed off waivers by the Packers on 13th May. He was with the team during training camp and pre-season before being waived/injured on 26th August. He went unclaimed through the waiver process and by rule, reverted to injured reserve. He was later released by the Packers on 2nd September.
Find Peter on twitter here: @The_IT_Hedgehog
Comments