Green Bay Packers cornerback Casey Hayward is ready to play football again. Probably…
Hayward’s 2013 season was almost completely a wash because of a hamstring injury. It consisted of three games, eight tackles, no picks and one trip to injured reserve.
Hayward has been working out in Atlanta during the offseason, but hasn’t been pushing himself. It sounds like he’s scared of reinjuring himself. He does, however, say he’ll be ready when offseason activities begin.
“I think I’m ready for it now,” Hayward said. “I’m just here and I don’t have to push it and I probably won’t push it crazy then, but I’m in a good enough shape to finish everything and do everything. I feel like they want me ready for the season and not right now.”
So, in other words, Hayward will be showing up in Green Bay only to injure his hamstring again. And so will begin the hamstring epidemic of 2014.
Seriously though, if Hayward is healthy and can return to 2012 form, he gives the Packers a pretty strong cornerback group. Let’s assume the Packer move Micah Hyde to safety. Their top three corners are Sam Shields, Tramon Williams and Hayward.
I don’t know too many teams who wouldn’t take that as a top three.