Kentrell Brice

[Deleted member 6794]

Brice isn't a finished product, or maybe his. He's an incredibly small amount of experience this far in his career. The answers will be found if he adjusts to this, and learns or doesn't. And safety was the weak link going into the season, no doubt about that. But Collins, Sharper, etc, none of them were great out the gate. I hope Brice learns faster than they did because we need him too, but there isn't anyone else coming to help this year.

Brice might improve over the course of the season but right now I would feel more comfortable with Clinton-Dix lining up at free safety and Jones starting at strong safety.

If you think Brice looks lost in coverage, you’re really not gonna like Josh Jones.

Unfortunately you're right about that. Hopefully the Packers don't think about playing Jones at free safety though.

We see that we're not spending the same money on the defense as we are the offense.

While that's true for this season the Packers spent the second most cap space on defense from 2014-16. That didn't result in any success either though.

 

[Mondio]

Jones didn't exactly make me feel comfortable about having him back there running with receivers either. Brice may have missed help with House on Digss, somehow i see Jones standing there and not moving his feet until the pass was in the air with an "oh ****" look on his face. On the Thielen TD, there's another thread, but that was 2 guys that i think actually played it well, and Brice covered some ground to get there, but need to be more aware of each other is all. Both were in pretty good positions to defend that pass if not intercept it. I haven't seen Jones do anything like that yet. Maybe he'd be better, maybe he has a lot more to learn. I'll feel better next year when we get more safeties in here.

If the plan is to put Dix back there in that role and put jones or brice up at the line more, Dix can't cover any of that. he's too slow and always late. Brice may make mistakes, but at least he's physically capable of covering the ground, Dix isn't.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

If the plan is to put Dix back there in that role and put jones or brice up at the line more, Dix can't cover any of that. he's too slow and always late. Brice may make mistakes, but at least he's physically capable of covering the ground, Dix isn't.

I'm not convinced you're right about Clinton-Dix not being able to play single high safety but as long as Brice doesn't have the mental aspect down it might be smart lining both up deep, especially when leading by nine in the fourth quarter.

 

[Mondio]

he always seems late or a step behind when he has a quarter of a the field to cover, not sure he's going to be better when you have both sides to diagnose and cover

 

[Deleted member 6794]

he always seems late or a step behind when he has a quarter of a the field to cover, not sure he's going to be better when you have both sides to diagnose and cover

I agree that Clinton-Dix hasn't excelled at free safety as I expected from him coming out of college but he might present an upgrade over Brice at the moment.

 

[PikeBadger]

I agree that Clinton-Dix hasn't excelled at free safety as I expected from him coming out of college but he might present an upgrade over Brice at the moment.

Dix can’t cover anything to the sidelines. I think it’s slow reaction time more than foot speed. He has no instinctive feel for pass defense. I’ve always thought he was better suited for a SS role. One of Thompson’s poorer draft picks imo. Could have gotten a player with Dix’s skill set in the 3rd or 4th round. Gotta be careful with those Alabama guys.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Gotta be careful with those Alabama guys.

While I agree you can't always assume a guy who plays well in College on a great team is going to be an NFL star, Alabama has produced a lot of successful players in the NFL. If this table is correct, there are currently 48 Bama players in the NFL. I think LSU is the only team that has more at 50.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/college

 

[thequick12]

I'm not convinced you're right about Clinton-Dix not being able to play single high safety but as long as Brice doesn't have the mental aspect down it might be smart lining both up deep, especially when leading by nine in the fourth quarter.

Pettines defense is a single high scheme, so someone's gotta do it. Dix definitely isn't a single high safety but he may be better than the other two. That's been the Packers problem ever since nick collins. They just keep stocking the group with strong safety types. They haven't had a true free safety since Collins. Maybe they should throw the Seahawks a pick for Earl Thomas in a few weeks. As the Seahawks continue to lose which I think is a given they might become more willing to ship Thomas out.

 

[PikeBadger]

While I agree you can't always assume a guy who plays well in College on a great team is going to be an NFL star, Alabama has produced a lot of successful players in the NFL. If this table is correct, there are currently 48 Bama players in the NFL. I think LSU is the only team that has more at 50.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/college

Didn’t mean to besmirch them but they tend in my opinion to make each other look better than they really are. Need to be careful in assessing their true talent and potential to project at the NFL level.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Didn’t mean to besmirch them but they tend in my opinion to make each other look better than they really are. Need to be careful in assessing their true talent and potential to project at the NFL level.

Yup, something scouts and GM's need to pay close attention to is the talent and competition around them. One thing about schools like Alabama, LSU, Ohio State, etc. is that they play against some pretty tough opponents. So as long as you can isolate their individual talent from their teammates, you have a pretty good gauge of what they might do against NFL opponents.

A big knock on RB's coming out of Wisconsin is that they put up gaudy numbers in college behind massive offensive lineman who also end up in the NFL. So I guess if I am a Scout and evaluating a Badger RB, I'm trying to separate what he does from what his OL allows him to do.

On the flip side, I am quite sure that very talented guys get overlooked, because they have no supporting cast to make them look good.

Like you said, a delicate balance for scouts.

 

[PikeBadger]

Yup, something scouts and GM's need to pay close attention to is the talent and competition around them. One thing about schools like Alabama, LSU, Ohio State, etc. is that they play against some pretty tough opponents. So as long as you can isolate their individual talent from their teammates, you have a pretty good gauge of what they might do against NFL opponents.

A big knock on RB's coming out of Wisconsin is that they put up gaudy numbers in college behind massive offensive lineman who also end up in the NFL. So I guess if I am a Scout and evaluating a Badger RB, I'm trying to separate what he does from what his OL allows him to do.

On the flip side, I am quite sure that very talented guys get overlooked, because they have no supporting cast to make them look good.

Like you said, a delicate balance for scouts.

If I were a scout, I’d look at the guys coming out of Iowa every year. Imo, those guys tend to be relentless and very physical. I think those guys tend to play above their original draft position. I’ve always liked having a few former Hawkeyes on the roster. Ferentz isn’t the best overall coach but I like the attitude instilled in Iowa City.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

If I were a scout, I’d look at the guys coming out of Iowa every year. Imo, those guys tend to be relentless and very physical. I think those guys tend to play above their original draft position. I’ve always liked having a few former Hawkeyes on the roster. Ferentz isn’t the best overall coach but I like the attitude instilled in Iowa City.

As long as his name isn't Chuck Long or Robert Gallery.

 

[054123]

Aside from an obvious lack of in game smarts, the more worrying aspect was the way he didn’t commit to the ball on the td that tied.

Just lacked balls. The game was there to be won.

 

[Dantés]

Brice has the areas in which he lacks, but balls isn't one of them.

 

[Mondio]

saying Kentrell Brice lacks balls to commit to a play is asinine.

 

[GleefulGary]

Wish we could play Tramon at safety.

 

[pacmaniac]

On the Thielen TD, there's another thread, but that was 2 guys that i think actually played it well, and Brice covered some ground to get there, but need to be more aware of each other is all. Both were in pretty good positions to defend that pass if not intercept it.

That was like in baseball, 2 outfielders can make a play on a ball, but then they both let up and let the other guy make the play, and the ball falls on the ground.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Good X's and O's with Leroy Butler explaining what Brice and Dix did wrong on separate plays.

https://www.packersnews.com/videos/...eo-xs-and-os-leroy-butler-9-18-18/1348319002/

 

[Mondio]

Wish we could play Tramon at safety.

My friend and I have been talking about that for a few weeks, It's obvious that Jackson and Alexander can play. If King gets and stays healthy, there's are 3 top DB's, house off the bench and Tramon moves into a Woodson type DB/Safety role for us. I was thinking by mid season if the young guys proved they could play, and IMO, they already have

 

[GleefulGary]

Btw, who else is glad we didn’t re-sign Burnett? That dude is washed.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Btw, who else is glad we didn’t re-sign Burnett? That dude is washed.

You mean he isn't a Pro Bowler yet?

 

[Mondio]

I haven't paid any attention to what he's done with the Steelers this year. He was breaking down for us and that was enough for me to say it was time to move on. Lots of nagging stuff the past couple seasons.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Dix can’t cover anything to the sidelines. I think it’s slow reaction time more than foot speed. He has no instinctive feel for pass defense. I’ve always thought he was better suited for a SS role. One of Thompson’s poorer draft picks imo. Could have gotten a player with Dix’s skill set in the 3rd or 4th round. Gotta be careful with those Alabama guys.

Clinton-Dix solidified the safety position immediately after he was drafted. But for some reason he hasn't developed the way the Packers hoped for over the past few years.

Pettines defense is a single high scheme, so someone's gotta do it. Dix definitely isn't a single high safety but he may be better than the other two. That's been the Packers problem ever since nick collins. They just keep stocking the group with strong safety types. They haven't had a true free safety since Collins.

Brice is a true free safety but he has to significantly improve his decision making to be trusted.

Wish we could play Tramon at safety.

Williams isn't fast enough to play free safety.

My friend and I have been talking about that for a few weeks, It's obvious that Jackson and Alexander can play. If King gets and stays healthy, there's are 3 top DB's, house off the bench and Tramon moves into a Woodson type DB/Safety role for us.

The Packers need improvement at free safety though and not another one best suited to play close to the LOS.

 

[Mondio]

The problem is we don't have that. We have Brice who "could" be, but has to figure it out. There's time, he's young and inexperienced. But he's young and inexperienced and no guarantee he gets it. HaHa has been here for years, and though it's a new defense, there are a lot of things that carry over from defense to defense, especially for a safety. a great free safety would be great, but where is he coming from? I don't have faith in Ha Ha. Slow to react, always a step late or behind, and for all his accolades he's still out of position a lot.

i never played DB and I don't claim to know what's always going on out there. Well sometimes I do, but that's just for dramatic effect. But as soon as that TD was thrown on King with the middle of the field empty and Ha Ha sitting on the outside with his hands up like, "what are you doing?" I was thinking "what are YOU doing" and why are you out there when King has great position against anything going that way and great position for anything going inside as long as his help is where it was supposed to be. But I think lots of **** during the game, most of which is just ****. But then someone posted a video with L. Butler going thru that play and he said exactly what I was thinking on that play. Dix wasn't where he was supposed to be. I don't think it's the first time.

For whatever shortcomings Brice has in knowledge of the game, if he can stay on the field, i'll put his hitting and range out there and take my chances. I'd be happy putting Tramon out there rather than Dix just for the simple fact, Tramon is a true pro. I think he'll do his job and do his best to make sure everyone else is too. I don't care if he's at the LOS, it's not like Dix is giving us some great TE coverage or downhill runstopper from that position anyway

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I'd be happy putting Tramon out there rather than Dix just for the simple fact, Tramon is a true pro. I think he'll do his job and do his best to make sure everyone else is too. I don't care if he's at the LOS, it's not like Dix is giving us some great TE coverage or downhill runstopper from that position anyway

I'm absolutely fine with having Williams on the field for the majority of the defensive snaps but unfortunately there's no reason to believe he has the range to solve the team's issues at free safety.