Grantland write-up on the Nickel Corner
Nice write-up on Grantland that talks about the Packers' defense, specifically the Nickel role that we saw Charles Woodson in for the last few years.
I think that with a very-hyped Freshman making his way into the Nickel Spot we'll see just how valuable Dymonte could be.
Seventeen years later, Capers had déjà vu. The only difference was the Woodson. When Capers came to Green Bay in 2009, Charles Woodson was the team’s best defensive player. For Charles, it took less than two years for him to become the Packers' nickel corner. That season, he was the league’s Defensive Player of the Year and the team finished 11-5.
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There was a time in the NFL, as early as a decade ago, when the conventional thinking for slot corners was that if they improved enough, they’d make their way outside. Playing outside the numbers came with prestige. Some derisively called the nickel the “third” corner.
Capers has defied that thinking for some time, but now NFL offenses are identifying the nickel corner as a key part of any defense. “This varies from defense to defense, but the amount of your sub package that you play nowadays — because we’re seeing more three wide receivers on the field — your inside player is going to play as many, if not more plays,” Capers says. “You could be in some form of your sub defense two-thirds [of the time].” The number Hayward throws out is 75 percent; Whitt says 80. No matter the math, the point is that the nickel cornerback is as much a “starter” as any other spot in the defensive backfield.
So what's the upshot for the rest of the class?
"According to Pro Football Focus, quarterbacks had a 31.1 rating when throwing in Hayward’s coverage area — the best figure for any cornerback in football."
Not all that bad really. Looking at Hayward's stats, 40 total tackles, 6 INTs for 81 yards, 21 passes defended and a forced fumble. I'll take that from a nickel. I know Mallory said back around the spring game that, in their view, nickel was a starting position - I think that the staff has said that they do like the look of Dymonte in that role.
probably caused a lot of the stigma.
Thomas could be very much like Woodson was Green Bay. Being a huge Packers fan, I've watched nearly all of their games since Chuck arrived in 2006. They used him as an outside corner for the first few years, but it was when they moved him into the nickel role (2008) was when he started to become a defensive MVP type player. Woodson was everywhere, blitzing, forcing fumbles, intercepting passes, just being a playmaker again. I see Thomas' blitzing ability from that nickel spot as being his main contribution this year. Once he gets some more experience in coverage, we could have ourselves the next guy to wear the coveted #2 jersey. No pressure.
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