Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy came out and admitted that the team was playing Damarious Randall out of position all these years.
Randall, a free safety in college, was drafted by the Packers in 2015 and immediately moved to cornerback. The Packers had Morgan Burnett and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix entrenched at the safety position at the time. So why draft another safety when those guys weren’t going anywhere?
The Packers were in desperate need at cornerback after letting Tramon Williams and Davon House leave in free agency. They seemingly panicked and chose Randall in the first round and Quinten Rollins — an actual cornerback — in the second. Randall has now been traded to Cleveland and Rollins hasn’t lived up to this potential.
McCarthy said asking Randall to play cornerback was a mistake.
“We were going to play him in more of a safety/nickel type role,” McCarthy said. “I think that’s his natural position. I think we all recognize that. Him playing as much corner for us was the best thing for our defense at the time, with Morgan and Ha Ha and really utilizing the players the best way we can. Obviously, we’ve had issues outside with corners staying healthy the last two years and that’s a product of him playing out there, and he played it well when he was healthy, when he stays in the game.
“But I think if he can line up and play safety — and stay in games and play games — I think he could have as big a year as anybody’s ever had because he’s got tremendous range, he’s smart, he’s got a unique skill set. But yeah, I mean, free safety is where he wants to play.”
It’s interesting that McCarthy also appears to be suggesting health was an issue with Randall playing cornerback. We’ve talked about his lack of physicality before and Randall was injured pretty often during his career.
McCarthy went on to say that dumping Randall was in the best interests of everyone. The Packers received quarterback DeShone Kizer and swapped picks in the fourth and fifth rounds with the Browns.
“Wear out his welcome?” McCarthy said rhetorically. “At the end of the day you make decisions on what’s best for your football team, and Brian felt that as far as the trade opportunity, we felt like obviously you don’t make a trade you don’t feel you’re getting the best of. So this is the best thing for Damarious and this is the best thing for our football team.”
Randall’s much-publicized meltdown in the first Chicago Bears game in 2017 got him sent off the field. Randall was also openly critical of teammates and defensive coordinator Dom Capers, which McCarthy didn’t appreciate.
So did Randall wear out his welcome? That seems pretty obvious.
8 Comments
McCarthy doesn’t know what the fuck hes talking about. It WASNT the best decision for the football team because Randall was the best fucking player we had in the secondary head case or not. That kid can play. Now we are scrambling for FA veterans CBs to hopefully hide a ton of shit until we get this right through a draft.
McCarthy didn’t admit anything. All he said is they were “GOING to play him in more of a safety/nickel type role” after he knew Randall was as good as gone. After playing him out of position for three years.
“Him playing as much corner for us was the best thing for our defense at the time, with Morgan and Ha Ha and really utilizing the players the best way we can.” Utilizing players the best way you can, you mean like Hyde and Hayward?
“Obviously, we’ve had issues outside with corners staying healthy the last two years.” First off, Randall has been here for three years and you still played him at corner. Second, when you have a corner go down you replace him with another corner. Not a mediocre hybrid conversion project. You know, like they’re trying to do this year. Unless they turn Josh Jones into a cornerback.
“But yeah, I mean, free safety is where he wants to play.” Duurrrr, no shit.
“Brian felt that as far as the trade opportunity, we felt like obviously you don’t make a trade you don’t feel you’re getting the best of.” Right, lets trade the guy who led our defense in interceptions last year while not playing his natural position, for the worst QB in the league. I guess the good thing is Kizer won’t see the field unless absolutely necessary. As far as locker room chemistry, Kizer will know his role and not question the status quo. As for on field production, the Packers did not get the best of this trade.
Fuck, I think I need to write a post about everything I like about the Packers to counter all this bitterness lately lol.
Go for it, i have a free minute.
This is a top 5 for stupid things McCarthy comments..
He does the exact opposite of admit anything. First he says he already had starters at saftey.( Nevermind that HHCD sucks ). Then he says he was FORCED to play him at corner due to injuries.
BUT HERE IS THE PART THAT MAKES IT TOP 5 WORTHY:
“I think he could have a big a year as ANYONE’S EVER HAD” !!!!!! If you really believe that you A) should have been playing him at saftey B) should not have traded him for a “back up” QB.
All Mccarthy is doing here is protecting himself from the future criticism of another player leaving and finding tremendous success in another coaches system. He does not want Randall to be the next hayward/hyde. So he is trying to get out in front of the situation before it happens.
He even makes sure to remind us all that BRIAN made the trade.
No accountability on any side of this from McCarthy. So to say he admits mistake is a stupid headline.
Truth has it covered. I can’t improve upon his post.
McCarthy… what a godforsaken human being.
Aww, is someone butt hurt?
If McCarthy was going to list off all the mistakes the Packers have made, including himself, where do we do this?
The Resch Center? The Atrium? On the field so there is enough seating?
I’ll also want to know what time breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be served. I have a feeling it would be a full day.
Maybe also where Murphy will be sitting, and the (cough) wind conditions.
Yep, definitely butt hurt.