Green Bay Packers: Safety shouldn’t be ignored in the 2021 NFL Draft

The Green Bay Packers enter the 2021 offseason with some work to do. They need to get under the cap and still put together a good enough roster to keep the window open for another Super Bowl run with Aaron Rodgers. It will be important to find budget players in free agency to help out the defense, specifically on the interior defensive line and in the secondary. Then, they need to find value at positions of need in the 2021 NFL Draft.

The secondary is still on a lot of Packers fans’ minds, especially after the NFC Championship game. Letting an interception slip through their fingers and giving up a long touchdown right before the end of the first half still stings.

With Kevin King likely on the way out in free agency, it will be important for the Packers to find a replacement at boundary corner opposite Jaire Alexander. The secondary looks loaded with Alexander, Adrian Amos, and Darnell Savage occupying three of the spots.

Corner is obviously on the list of needs, but safety should probably be on the list as well for the Green Bay Packers.

So why the safety position? We’ve already mentioned the very good duo of Amos and Savage. They’ve both been key cogs in the revitalization of the back end of the defense.

However, it’s good to not let complacency set in at a position. Packers fans and analysts learned that lesson with the selection of Rashan Gary back in the 2019 draft. It seemed a bit puzzling with both Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith recently signed. But, now that Gary is playing well and Preston Smith could be a cap casualty, the move looks incredibly smart.

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Another thing to mention about the safety position is that while both Savage and Amos can be effective in a single high/two-deep look, they both play extremely effective football near the line of scrimmage. Savage is great at reading short zones and attacking downhill, and Amos is such a reliable tackler in the box. This team still could use depth at the position in the form of a versatile safety who can play in the slot and in single high/deep half looks.

New defensive coordinator Joe Barry likely will want players who can be versatile, so expect to see Savage get snaps in the slot and Amos to get some near the line of scrimmage. Adding a third safety to the mix makes sense due to this.

This isn’t suggesting that the Green Bay Packers should look safety early in the 2021 NFL Draft. In fact, the class isn’t too strong as a whole, so finding value later on day two and early on day three will be the move for most NFL teams with needs at the position.

Who should the Packers look at in the draft at safety?

The importance of adding depth at safety here for the Green Bay Packers comes in finding a player with versatility. A player who can take snaps in the slot and the box while also being comfortable on the back end is important. Range is the other key trait to look for in a safety for the Packers. The ability to close quickly and cover ground is crucial on the back end.

The first player that comes to mind is Cincinnati’s James Wiggins. He has everything the Packers would look for at the position. He’s got the ball skills, range, and ability to man up players in the slot.

Georgia’s Richard LeCounte III is another name to watch. He has great instincts in zone coverage and reads the quarterback’s eyes very well. He’s a physical tackler and makes plays in space. LeCounte also has the versatility Green Bay would look for as a prospect.

Missouri’s Tyree Gillespie is the last name to watch for the Packers. He processes things well in front of him, and while he excels most playing deep, that would be very helpful for the Packers defense moving forward in 2021.

Final Thoughts

As discussed, safety isn’t the biggest need for the Green Bay Packers, but to keep this secondary humming, adding depth is important. No matter if it’s done through the draft or even free agency, it’s good to keep adding to a strength when possible, especially as the league continues to shift to passing and defending the pass.

Will the Packers do it? Who knows! But it’s important not to rule anything out when it comes to the NFL Draft.