Hopefully, this will change by training camp, but as of right now, it doesn’t look like the Green Bay Packers are going to give Micah Hyde a chance to start at cornerback.
Say what?
Yeah, fucking incredible, right?
Hyde, who was one of the Packers starting safeties at the beginning to last season, has been working as a backup safety during OTAs. Once Ha Ha Clinton-Dix forced his way into a starting spot alongside Morgan Burnett, Hyde spent the majority of his time as the Packers nickel back in 2014.
With Tramon Williams and Davon House going elsewhere in free agency, it was assumed that Hyde would be allowed to compete for a starting job at corner along with Casey Hayward and whatever rookies the Packers brought in.
Not so.
Buried in this story about how Sam Shields thinks the team has more talent at cornerback than last season is this nugget.
(Cornerbacks coach Joe) Whitt noted that defensive back Micah Hyde is “a backup safety” who is “primarily” with safeties coach Darren Perry. Whitt focuses on the players who are being considered at outside cornerback, a list that Hyde is not a part of.
I never get this line of thinking by the coaching staff. They pigeonhole guys into roles without even giving them a shot at trying other positions.
It’s like how they insisted Carl Bradford had to be an outside linebacker last year, even though everyone else said he was too small and much better suited to play inside. And then lo and behold, on the eve of the regular season they decided, well, maybe everyone else is onto something here.
Now, we’re not saying Hyde would even win the job, but he’s clearly a playmaker. He’s going to struggle to get on the field if he’s playing safety. Shouldn’t he at least be given a shot to compete for a starting job at corner?
Yes.
Yes, he should.
But only if he played anywhere else in the league besides Green Bay. In Green Bay, he can only play safety.