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Green Bay Packers: Veteran presence needed in the secondary

By Hunter Noll

Jan 8, 2017; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers free safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (21) and cornerback Damarious Randall (23) break up a pass to New York Giants wide receiver Tavarres King (15) in the fourth quarter in the NFC Wild Card playoff football game at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Adam Wesley/Green Bay Press Gazette via USA TODAY Sports
Jan 8, 2017; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers free safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (21) and cornerback Damarious Randall (23) break up a pass to New York Giants wide receiver Tavarres King (15) in the fourth quarter in the NFC Wild Card playoff football game at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Adam Wesley/Green Bay Press Gazette via USA TODAY Sports /
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The Green Bay Packers addressed some of their secondary problems in the NFL draft this offseason. Who will lead the young players and teach them the ropes?

Youth is a coveted thing in the NFL. Whenever a team has youth, it means they have room to grow. This is something the Green Bay Packers secondary boasts a lot of. Usually, a team likes to pepper in some veterans to help get the young guys accustomed to the league though. The Packers seem to be going a different route.

At 28, Morgan Burnett is the resident old guy of the group. While it’s not like he’s just learning to walk, 28 isn’t exactly the age you’d expect from the veteran of a position. Behind him, the Packers have two rookie safeties, and three with two years of experience or less. Meanwhile, at cornerback, Green Bay has five rookies.

Not only are a lot of the younger guys expected to bloom in coming years, they’re expected to contribute right now. In both of those scenarios, a heavy veteran presence is encouraged.

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When looking to teach young players how to succeed in the NFL, the best teacher is someone who has seen it all. A player that is done learning, and is ready to pass on his wisdom would serve a major role on a roster like this. With that being said, Burnett and Davon House have enough experience that they can impart some wisdom on the youngsters.

Meanwhile, the star of the secondary is Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. With four years under his belt, he no longer needs someone to hold his hand. The problem is, he’s one of the few that can say that. The cornerback position really showed it’s inexperience in 2016, and it’s only gotten younger.

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The bottom line is, if the Packers want their secondary to grow, they’ll need to get a little bit older.

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