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http://blogs.greenbaypressgazette.com/b ... to-safety/

Will Blackmon isn’t on the field yet — he’s still rehabbing from his knee injury from last season — but when he does return, he’ll do so as a safety.
The former cornerback is currently working on the position switch in the classroom with safeties coach Darren Perry.
“I’ll tell you what, it’s awesome being able to see the whole field,” Blackmon said. “It’s a whole different ball game out there, and being that you’re the quarterback of the defense, you’ve got to prepare to a whole other level, and actually it helps out with me being real cerebral and stuff, so it’s cool. It’s fun. Especially in this defense, it’s fun. I told them, I don’t care, I just want to be on the field.”
The Packers also view Blackmon as their primary punt returner.
He said he is on target to return to practice by the start of training camp.

I didn't see this one coming.

This is very surprising to me, especially given our already suspect CB depth. I would think there is much more playing time to be had at corner than at safety.

Hmm, don't know what to make of this... guess it doesn't really matter. Gotta love all of the capable corners we have on this roster!

Woodson
Williams (if he's signed)
Harris coming off injury
Lee coming off injury
Underwood (unproven)

Man, I really wanted a vet CB brought in.

LUKE23 wrote:Woodson
Williams (if he's signed)
Harris coming off injury
Lee coming off injury
Underwood (unproven)

Man, I really wanted a vet CB brought in.

Well, Shawn Springs just became available if not mistaken. I'm not sure how much he has left in the tank.

Bush is switching to CB full-time too.

I still can't believe Bush is on this team. I couldn't believe that Tennessee signed him and I REALLY couldn't believe we matched.

crkone wrote:Bush is switching to CB full-time too.

I suspect Bush is switching to insurance salesman pretty soon; the numbers just don't work for him anymore:

CB's: Woodson, Williams, Harris, Lee, Underwood

S's: Collins, Bigby, Burnett, Martin, Blackmon

Lee was a high draft pick, they're not giving up on him yet.

They seemed to like the way Underwood progressed at the end of last year, so unless he'd really stick it up this summer, I'm pretty sure he sticks again.

GB was really high on Martin's ST play, I've read someplace that GB thinks of him as their #1 ST'er (supplanting Bush).

GB seems intent on having Blackmon as their PR again, so if he's healthy, I think he's a lock as well.

They've also brought Peprah back to compete for a safety spot.

I can't imagine GB carrying more than 10 DB's, so I think Bush is going to be the odd man out. Oh wait, I never would have imagained them carrying three FB's either, so I guess we'll see.

MickeyDavis wrote:I still can't believe Bush is on this team. I couldn't believe that Tennessee signed him and I REALLY couldn't believe we matched.

Bush, for as bad as he is at corner, is a pretty damn good player on ST.

I can see why he is on the team, but I'm not a big fan of it.

Lee was recovered by last November, but obviously still has a lot to prove.

In other safety news, how dumb is Bigby? He's not going anywhere. He'll either be a Packer or out of the league next season. That being the case, all he's accomplishing by not being at the OTAs is giving Burnett a chance at winning his job. Heading into a year in which he could be an UFA, you would think he'd be doing his best to lock down the SS position and earn a big long term deal.

It won't matter to me until Blackmon can put together an injury free season...

askdavescat wrote:

crkone wrote:Bush is switching to CB full-time too.

I suspect Bush is switching to insurance salesman pretty soon; the numbers just don't work for him anymore:

CB's: Woodson, Williams, Harris, Lee, Underwood

S's: Collins, Bigby, Burnett, Martin, Blackmon

Lee was a high draft pick, they're not giving up on him yet.

They seemed to like the way Underwood progressed at the end of last year, so unless he'd really stick it up this summer, I'm pretty sure he sticks again.

GB was really high on Martin's ST play, I've read someplace that GB thinks of him as their #1 ST'er (supplanting Bush).

GB seems intent on having Blackmon as their PR again, so if he's healthy, I think he's a lock as well.

They've also brought Peprah back to compete for a safety spot.

I can't imagine GB carrying more than 10 DB's, so I think Bush is going to be the odd man out. Oh wait, I never would have imagained them carrying three FB's either, so I guess we'll see.

Quoting myself..., I know, sorry about that....

I forgot about Shields from Miami. Given his speed, if he even flashes the ability to cover a chair as a CB, GB's going to find a way to keep him on the roster to be their kick returner, as well as a gunner on the coverage side of ST. He very well could account for a scenario where GB keeps 11 DB's, and even more increases the likelihood that Bush will be gone.

DrugBust wrote:In other safety news, how dumb is Bigby? He's not going anywhere. He'll either be a Packer or out of the league next season. That being the case, all he's accomplishing by not being at the OTAs is giving Burnett a chance at winning his job. Heading into a year in which he could be an UFA, you would think he'd be doing his best to lock down the SS position and earn a big long term deal.

How dumb is Bigby? Thats an easy answer. Took him two years to learn the defensive schemes. So yeah pretty dumb guy.

I'd like nothing more than for Burnett to legitimately beat out Bigby. We desperately need an upgrade there.

DrugBust wrote:In other safety news, how dumb is Bigby? He's not going anywhere. He'll either be a Packer or out of the league next season. That being the case, all he's accomplishing by not being at the OTAs is giving Burnett a chance at winning his job. Heading into a year in which he could be an UFA, you would think he'd be doing his best to lock down the SS position and earn a big long term deal.

Can't say that I've ever met a smart Atari before in this world...

I personally think Bigby's days are nearing the end in Green Bay.

N8Frog wrote:

DrugBust wrote:In other safety news, how dumb is Bigby? He's not going anywhere. He'll either be a Packer or out of the league next season. That being the case, all he's accomplishing by not being at the OTAs is giving Burnett a chance at winning his job. Heading into a year in which he could be an UFA, you would think he'd be doing his best to lock down the SS position and earn a big long term deal.

Can't say that I've ever met a smart Atari before in this world...

I personally think Bigby's days are nearing the end in Green Bay.

My initial thought when I read this comment was '... one more year," but....

The Packers kept Peprah around for 2-3 ? years before he got hurt last summer and got caught in the numbers game, so they apparently like him to some degree. If Bigby's going to continue to be an @ss, and Burnett's going to take his job anyway, it's not beyond the pale to imagine the Packers rolling forward with Collins/Burnett starting, and Blackmon, Martin, and Peprah as the backup safeties.

Except for that month-or-so stretch in '07 when he was blowing receivers up (leading up to that Seattle playoff game where he was absolutely a beast), I've never seen much out of Bigby even when he was healthy. I think he's too great of a liability in coverage. It wouldn't break my heart at all to see him gone.

When healthy, Bigby has been leaps and bounds ahead of the garbage we had at that position before he came to Green Bay. He hasn't really been a liability or exposed much (no more than others have been exposed, that is), and we definitely noticed that position when he wasn't playing it last season. However, I hate the fact that he can't stay healthy and there's no reason to ever settle for mediocrity at any position, so I'm also very hopeful that Burnett can take the position and run with it. And yes, Bigby is an idiot for skipping OTAs.