Green Bay Packers secondary emerging, ranked sixth in NFL

The Green Bay Packers had a strong 2020 season, finishing with a 13-3 record as the top seed in the NFC. Aaron Rodgers had a monster season, but the emerging Packers secondary deserves a lot of credit, too. Pro Football Focus ranked each NFL secondary from 1-32, and the Packers’ unit comes in at an impressive sixth overall.

Cornerbacks

Jaire Alexander has dominated the NFL since being selected 18th overall in 2018. He is arguably the best corner in the league. Alexander allowed just two touchdowns in 2020, and he has 41 defended passes over his three years to go along with four interceptions. While Alexander is set and proven as a top corner, a big question coming out of last season was who would play opposite of him. The Packers are banking on a resurgence and a rookie to answer that question.

Kevin King had a great year in 2019 with five interceptions and 15 passes defended, but he struggled with injuries and inconsistencies in 2020. He signed a one-year deal in the offseason to show that he can still play at his 2019 level. If he can, he will be a solid player to pair with Alexander and can really help solidify the secondary.

The Packers used their first-round pick in the offseason on Georgia corner Eric Stokes. A quick corner with good size and speed, Stokes defended nine passes in 2019 and brought in four interceptions with four pass breakups in the shortened 2020 season. He needs to get stronger, but Stokes has the potential to become an impact NFL corner quickly. Green Bay is hoping that he becomes the next young star in this emerging Packers secondary.

Chandon Sullivan and Josh Jackson are among the other corners that could play a role this year for the Packers.

Safeties

Darnell Savage and Adrian Amos make up what could be viewed as the top safety duo in the NFL. Savage, a former first-round pick out of Maryland in 2019, has been dominant since he entered the league. He’s allowed just 35 catches on 60 targets so far in his career. In 2020, Savage had four interceptions in the final six weeks of the season. His versatility is one of his best traits, and if he can take another leap in 2021 he will be viewed as a top NFL safety.

Amos thrives in coverage. Quarterbacks had just a 71.7 passer rating when throwing towards Amos in 2020. The Packers’ leader in tackles with 84, Amos also added nine pass breakups and two interceptions. Like Savage, Amos is versatile and can either stay back or play on the line.

Will Redmond and Vernon Scott could see some time at safety as well, should injuries arise. One of the biggest strengths of this Packers team could very well be its emerging secondary.