The Green Bay Packers have one starting safety penciled in — Morgan Burnett. Apparently, they have no idea whether the other guy will be M.D. Jennings or Jerron McMillian.
Safeties coach Darren Perry says the Packers will have an open competition this summer.
“I don’t think either one of those guys separated themselves in terms of being ‘that guy’ at the end of the last season,” Perry said. “They both made strides and I think they’re going to be fine football players, I really do. But in terms of who distinguishes themselves as ‘the guy,’ we’re just going to have to wait and see and enjoy the competition.”
The leader right now, if there is one, would have to be Jennings. He played in 16 games last season and finished with 52 tackles and an interception, which he returned for a touchdown. McMillian also played in all 16 games, but had only 27 tackles and an interception.
That being said, McMillian was a fourth-round draft pick last season (Jennings was undrafted in 2011). That suggests the Packers saw him as a future starter and if he makes the mythical second-year jump, he just might find himself in that role this season.
If we were the betting types, and we are, we’d bet McMillian finds himself lining up opposite Burnett in 2013.