Green Bay Packers’ safety Atari Bigby has given no indication he plans on signing his restricted free agent tender and the longer he stays away from Green Bay, the less likely he is to retain his starting spot.
The Packers drafted safety Morgan Burnett in the third round of this year’s draft, trading up to nab the Georgia Tech product.
There were whispers the Packers were dissatisfied with Bigby’s play last season. When you look at the stats, Bigby was indeed pretty average. In 2009, Bigby totaled 49 tackles and four interceptions in 13 games. While the four interceptions are solid, Bigby would hardly be confused with a playmaker and in fact, was average at best in coverage.
Add to that Bigby’s penchant for getting injured and you can see why the team grabbed Burnett. Bigby has missed 12 games the past two seasons, which has the Packers looking for depth at the position, if not a replacement.
Bigby, however, doesn’t see the writing on the wall. There have been rumors he may hold out in search of a long-term contract.
With every day Bigby isn’t in Green Bay, Burnett gets a chance to learn the defense, demonstrate his ability and take Bigby’s starting spot.
Thus far, Packers’ coach Mike McCarthy likes what he sees from Burnett.
“He’s learning; he’s growing,” McCarthy said. “I do like his assertiveness, particularly in his communication skills, and that’s very important at the safety position. Athletically, he’s a young man with a bright future. You can just see the athletic ability, both on special teams and defense. He’s still learning the defense, and he’s doing a good job of that.”
Certainly, Bigby can wise up, sign his tender and report in time for training camp. If he doesn’t, there are very few reasons the Packers shouldn’t open the season with Burnett as the starter.
In addition to what we know about Bigby, Burnett is only going to get better the more he plays. Bigby is giving him ample opportunity to do that right now.
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If Bigby can’t see the writing on the wall,perhaps it’s best that no one on the team offer to buy him glasses!!!
For him, it may be best to walk through life BLIND and STUPID!!! Just saying not hoping.
Bigby is the apitomy of the Thompson era.
really? is he? i would’ve thought more along the lines of aaron rodgers, greg jennings, clay matthews, ryan grant, charles woodson, nick collins, jermichael finley, you know.. also the fact that he’s put together what is widely considered hands down the best and deepest recieving corps in the NFL.. just sayin
but if you wanna boil it down to bigby.. whatever
Bigby will most definitely be on his game this season and I can’t wait to see the best secondary in all of football perform. Would anyone like to argue that?
No, not at all. I personally loved their performance in the playoffs.
Will who would you rank first?
Well who would you rank #1?
Ummm, a number of teams. Everytime the Packers played a good offensive passing team they got crushed defensively. The Packers had the 3rd easiest schedule in the league last year. Boosting up stats against crappy teams doesnt really mean much to me. That pansy Favre who the Packers were gonna murder threw 7 touchdowns against this “number one” secondary I believe. And close to 600 yards. And zero interceptions. But whose counting?
Well yea Matt that’s very true but let’s just wait and see how well they will play this season against the NFL toughest schedule. That will be the true test.
But… they dont have the nfl’s toughest schedule. Their schedule is about in the middle this year. The vikings actualyl have a tougher schedule. But you’re right, it is a tougher schedule and we’ll see how they do this year. But if they don’t win a playoff game Thompson needs to go. Especially since we were supposed to go deep into the playoffs the last two years and havent won a single playoff game. So we’ll see.
i don’t mean to attack you here by responding to all your posts, but i don’t by any means think thompson would need to go, i’d put it on mccarthy, thompson has put all this skill on the field for us and if we can’t make a deep playoff run then it isn’t the GM’s fault, it’s the coach