Whilst the Packers may have struggled in run-defense last year, you can’t fault their secondary’s performance in coverage. The team ranked seventh in PFF coverage grade and Brian Gutekunst has put together one of the most exciting young units in the NFL. They will be key to any success that Green Bay have in 2020 and here are some of the big questions facing them this season.
This is the eighth and final instalment of my Packers Preview series. You can read the rest here.
What can we expect from Jaire Alexander in Year 3?
In just two seasons, Alexander has established himself as one of the best young corners in the NFL. Expectations were high entering last season and he really delivered. He ranked second in the NFL in forced incompletion percentage and finished the campaign with two interceptions and 13 PBUs. In total he allowed a completion percentage of just 56.1 per cent and posted his second consecutive 70+ PFF coverage grade.
As you would expect from a player entering their third year, he is still developing. He hasn’t been the most productive in terms of picks, with just three so far in his career, and he had four dropped interceptions in 2019. This isn’t necessarily a major issue as whilst he may not create a tonne of turnovers, he is consistently disruptive at the catch point.
The big question entering 2020 is whether or not he can take the next step and stake his claim as a Pro Bowl calibre corner. Whilst Alexander was largely impressive throughout 2019, he had a tendency to get beaten badly in big games and needs to become more consistent. In the first four weeks he was solid and allowed just 125 yards on 27 targets, but in Week 5 against the Cowboys he allowed over 200 yards. He had similar issues in other games and finished the season with 797 yards allowed in coverage, the seventh most amongst corners.
Alexander clearly has the potential to be an elite shutdown corner in the NFL and the big question for 2020 will be whether or not his game-to-game consistency can improve. If it does, expect him to be making the Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams very soon.
Will this be Josh Jackson’s breakout campaign?
One of the more difficult questions to answer is what the Packers can expect from Jackson in his third year. He was a well regarded prospect coming out of college but he has had a frustrating start to his NFL career. He struggled as a starter in is rookie season, allowing 552 yards and four touchdowns for a passer rating when targeted of 112.7. Injuries caused him to lose his starting spot last season and he featured primarily as a special teams player, with just 85 coverage snaps all season.
A change in defensive scheme is likely a key part of his struggles. Jackson played in a zone-heavy scheme at Iowa but joined a Packers defense that relies on a lot of man coverage from defensive backs. He often looked out of his depth and unsure of his responsibilities in his rookie year as a result. Whether he is capable of developing into a corner that fits Pettine’s scheme is a key question facing the Packers in 2020.
The one positive that Green Bay fans should take is the parallels between Jackson’s performances in college and the NFL. He struggled in his first two seasons with Iowa too, before a breakout junior season that saw him grab 25 combined interceptions and PBUs and a PFF coverage grade of 94.3. If he can do similar things in his third NFL season the Packers will be delighted, although I wouldn’t put money on it happening.
Who will play slot corner in 2020?
With Tramon Williams now gone, there are questions about who will play in the slot this season. Brian Gutekunst indicated that the Packers are considering several options. Two of the more surprising are Jaire Alexander and second-year safety Darnell Savage. While both could obviously play the position, it doesn’t make sense to move them from positions where they are already comfortable and showing promise.
The other two names he mentioned were Josh Jackson and Chandon Sullivan. Mike Pettine has indicated that he sees Jackson as a slot corner for the Packers, but whether he can overcome a difficult start to his career and get on the field will be the major question mark.
Of the two, Sullivan certainly seems the most obvious choice. His play time was limited last season, playing just 242 coverage snaps, 133 of which were in the slot. He was impressive in limited reps though – he allowed just 140 yards on 32 targets, with a completion rate of 40.6 per cent. He didn’t allow a single touchdown all season and had a passer rating when targeted of just 41.1. This was the best amongst Packers defenders and ranked seventh in the NFL amongst players with over 200 coverage snaps.
Clearly this is from a limited sample size but it demonstrates Sullivan’s potential and if he can continue to produce like that, he is a no-brainer for slot corner in 2020.
