The Green Bay Packers have to know that the cornerback position is their biggest need. Last year’s pass defense was bad (second to last in the NFL), and the struggles at CB were the main culprit.
In a narrative that’s been discussed ad nauseam this offseason, the secondary needs some major work if Green Bay wants to be legitimate Super Bowl contenders. Damarious Randall and Quinten Rollins could bounce back, and Davon House provides a slight boost to the unit. But losing Micah Hyde and failing to attract other free agents left the secondary in about the same place as when the team got blown out in the NFC Championship game.
So when rumors swirled and were eventually confirmed that Seahawks’ CB Richard Sherman had been placed on the trading block, it was no surprise that Packer Nation felt Green Bay could be a suitor. The three-time first-team All-Pro has been, arguably, the best cornerback in the NFL since entering the league in 2011. He represents a skill level at corner that the Packers haven’t seen since prime Charles Woodson.
Frankly, trading for Sherman makes sense. The latest rumors were that it would take a first- and mid-round pick to get a deal done. That may seem like a hefty price, but here’s the thing: would the Packers be able to draft a player of Sherman’s caliber at #29? The answer is no. Sherman could come in and make a difference immediately, whereas even the top CB in this year’s draft would take time to get to the star Seahawk’s level. He has shown an ability to shut down an entire half of the field, which could turn the league’s second worst pass defense into at least a top-half unit.
Sherman will be 29 during this season, but there’s no reason to think he’ll have a drop off in 2017. He recorded four interceptions last season and has the ability to shut down opponents’ top receivers by himself, a luxury the Packers simply cannot afford with their current roster.
But while Sherman would provide an instant and significant boost to Green Bay’s defense, those Packers fans still holding onto the hope of a trade need to accept that it won’t get done. Ted Thompson hates giving up draft picks, and it’s incredibly hard (if not impossible) to imagine him giving up just a first round pick, much less adding in more. Additionally, the Packers care a lot about players having good attitudes both on and off the field. Sherman’s antics throughout his career, and magnified in 2016, are not something Green Bay would be quick to bring into the fold.
Who knows? Maybe Thompson rolls the dice and adds one of the best defensive players of the decade. Maybe Randall, Rollins, and House bounce back and give Green Bay at least a serviceable secondary.
The high asking price for Sherman seems to point to the cornerback staying put, but things could quickly and easily change. For now, it’s time for the Packers (and their fans) to accept that a player of Sherman’s caliber will likely not be on the team when the season began. The league’s 31st-ranked pass defense will rely on its current players and some rookies to improve and help get Green Bay back to a Super Bowl.
——————Sean Blashe is a Packers fan who grew up in Bears territory and is currently a journalism and history major at Marquette University. Sean is a writer with PackersTalk.com and you can follow him on twitter at @SeanBlashe .
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4 responses to “Adding Sherman Makes Sense, But Packers Won’t Trade for CB”
Ted Thompson’s NOT interested in making this team a SB champion IF it’s gonna cost MONEY, simple as that. He’s put enough stars on offense to WIN the division–that guarantees a PLAYOFF game every season–and he HOPES satisfies Packers fans. And as long as those turnstiles turn for tickets sold and merchandise dollars continue rolling in–he has NO incentive to change anything. IF he wanted a SB-he’d FIRE DUMB Capers–his ‘schemes’ are STALE FAILURES, the team consistently FAILS TO TACKLE properly, and their secondary/LB coverage over the middle is ATROCIOUS! MONEY MUST BE SPENT TO IMPROVE D-E-F-E-N-S-E, as Aaron Rodgers would say. Thompson has LIED to Packers fans about a ‘draft and develop’ team–it’s really a CHEAP BARGAIN BASEMENT TEAM with a bench that can’t bailout the few stars they’ve had. WHERE are those ‘developed’ stars? They only have 17 of the 46 DRAFT PICKS left! That’s more than half gone–have YOU seen any improvement? Under DUMB Capers–Packers have accomplished something NO PACKERS TEAM OVER 96 YEAR HISTORY HAS DONE—LOST TWO CONSECUTIVE TITLE GAMES, 2014 after Capers defense gave up a 16 POINT LEAD and LOST, and last year’s TORCHING by Matt Ryan/ Falcons and that was a week AFTER Capers defense BLEW a 23 point LEAD to Cowboys.. Along the way–Capers defense has given up the MOST POINTS EVER by a Packers playoff team, the SECOND most points ever by a Pack playoff team AND the THIRD most points ever by a Pack playoff team. And gave up NFL RECORD RUN YARDAGE for a QB over NFL HISTORY– to Kaepernick–A RUNNING QB, in 2012! Ted Thompson is satisfied with putting a team on field that Aaron Rodgers can take TO a playoff and a DUMB Capers defense that has BEAT THEM for SIX CONSECUTIVE YEARS, otherwise he’d made changes long ago–ya’ really think Lombardi or Holmgren would’ve tolerated this? Or a Belichik, ‘Chuckie’ Jon Gruden, Bill Cowher or Mike Tomlin?
Amen Brother ! Just about sums it up for this Packer Shareholder. Arod or Bust. The rest of the staff are for the most part mediocre at best or hurt. Same Song playing on Repeat for 5 Years. If Arod doesn’t play like he is from a different planet, we get embarassed. TT & MM should be forwarding their paychecks to Arod’s PO Box and be thankful they play in the NFC North so they make the Playoffs every year while waiting for their yearly Playoff Embarassment usually preciptated by a horrific defensive performance. Lining up to be more of the same old again this year. Why would we want to make a run at Richard Sherman when we can go after a 5th round D’Back that will be out of the league or put on waivers in 3 years. Wonder why we’re ranked 31st ?
I wonder if Reggie White would’ve ever been picked up as a Franchise Changing Type Free Agent acquisiton and Brett Favre traded for if The Barn Owl was steering the ship in the early 90’s.
If they don’t do it this year TT, MM, and DC must be fired!! Who should we get? Someone with some balls to change things up and motivate. Who cares, they can’t get it done now anyway. Win the division? Okay. That was always Bud Grant’s philosophy. How many titles? Zero. Without Rogers the thee mentioned are average and have no success.
Totally, 200% agree. Save your cap money Ted. No defense will not allow Rogers and the team ever get another title. If I were Rogers, if the D doesn’t improve dramatically I’d retire or ask for a trade. I love Rogers, but Teddy is not helping him at all.