This Could Be the Beginning of the End for Quinten Rollins

If you think Damarious Randall has something to prove, you’re right. But Quinten Rollins probably has more to prove.

Or at least more to lose…

Both cornerbacks were bad in 2016. Both players were injured. Both players blamed their subpar play on those injuries.

Randall owns the distinction of being a first-round draft pick, however. He’ll be given every chance to succeed and he most certainly is not going anywhere until after the first four years of his rookie deal are up.

Rollins is a little bit different story. Even when he was healthy in 2016, we saw the former second-round pick getting beat on double moves and giving up big plays far too often. He was making rookie mistakes.

That’s curious considering he was great as a rookie.

From Pro Football Focus:

Rollins had a legitimately excellent rookie season, posting a passer rating of only 58.1 on 41 targets into his coverage. He amassed two interceptions and five pass deflections, while altogether preventing opposing receivers from reaching the endzone. With an expanded role in 2016… Rollins took a big stride backwards, managing only one interception and four pass deflections. He lost all reliability, giving up seven touchdowns and a passer rating of 133.8, both figures the second-worst among cornerbacks in the league.

If you’ve been paying attention, all the focus and all the praise this offseason has been on Randall.

You could say Rollins is flying under the radar. You could also say everyone has pretty much forgotten about him.

But the Packers would never give up on a second-round draft pick so quickly!

In certain circumstances they have.

They gave up on another second-round cornerback — Pat Lee — after three seasons. They shipped defensive tackle Jerel Worthy to the Patriots for a conditional draft pick (which they didn’t collect because he was cut) after two.

We wouldn’t bet on the Packers sending Rollins down the river this year, but if he doesn’t perform well during the 2017 season, he’s not likely to make it to the 2018 season.