Cardinals vs. Packers Q&A: Packers have completely revamped their secondary, how is it going?

This Sunday, the Arizona Cardinals travel to Lambeau Field to take on the reeling Green Bay Packers.

We wanted to take time over the next couple of days to get to know the Packers and what the heck went wrong this season and Jason B. Hirschhorn of Acme Packing Company was nice enough to drop by and give us a look at it.

Enjoy.

The Packers have invested heavily in the secondary, a number of players Cardinals fans liked over the last two seasons. Can you give us an ever so brief scouting report on the young defensive backs and maybe a grade?

JBH:

I don’t think enough time has passed to fairly grade those defensive backs, but the group has performed about as one would expect overall.

Among the additions in the 2018 draft class, Jaire Alexander has already established himself as the best cornerback on the team. He routinely yields few receptions or yards regardless of matchup. The quality of his tackling has fluctuated and he can still make mistakes going after ball carriers in the open field, but these concerns don’t negate his overall fine pass coverage. Meanwhile, second-round pick Josh Jackson has produced a few big games and a lot more troubling performances. He has the skills and size to become a top-shelf corner, but he commits too many penalties to give consistent playing time. He’ll need to refine his craft over the offseason.

As for the second-year defensive backs, Kevin King has missed a significant amount of time during his nearly two seasons with the team, something that has to worry the Packers as they plan for 2019 and beyond. However, he has played well this season when available, using his massive frame and athleticism to good effect. King might never develop into the shutdown corner many envisioned when he came out of Washington, but he should at least serve as a capable starting corner. Josh Jones, the team’s second-round pick from that year, hasn’t made much of an impact. Green Bay has played him at a number of positions, but nothing seems to fit him. He’ll remain on the roster into next season, but he seems increasingly unlikely to develop into a full-time starter.

Thanks to Jason and check out his work at APC.