Packers safety position battle already heating up at OTAs
GREEN BAY (WLUK) - Packers Organized Team Activities began Monday and there are plenty of question marks surrounding this year's roster. The good news is the 2023 season opener is still 110 days away to find answers on those questions.
Fox11's Cody Krupp breaks down one of the intriguing position battles that might not be answered until the season starts.
It might just be the first week of OTA's but the battle for a starting position at safety has already started. Packers defensive backs coach Ryan Downard gathered all of his safeties and said you have to know what is at stake. There's an open position as Adrian Amos is no longer with the Packers.
"I love Adrian I love what he has done here, wore the C (captain) for us so he had even more of an impact than just on the field. He was a field general for us. I like where our safety room is in terms of competition right now," Downard said last week.
2019 first round pick Darnell Savage has had over 3,500 snaps and he's expected to fill one of those roles.
What do you want to do different this year? Cody asked Savage following Tuesday's OTA.
"Oof I am excited I am ready to go right now. I am anxious had a long offseason to kind of think about last year, had this kind of bad taste in my mouth for the longest time so ready to get it out," Savage answered.
Savage might be a presumed starter headed into this 2023 season but he was inconsistent at times last year and even at one point benched.
"You go through things, you know I am a person I felt like did a good job of just handling it, responding the right way. Within the midst of things you kind of get lost a little bit you try to find your way through I had never been through that before so it was all new to me," Savage said.
At this point the other safety spot next to Savage is wide open for the taking and it was a position the Packers added to most this offseason with free agents. One of those being Jonathan Owens, the fifth year veteran started all 17 games last year for the Texans making him the most seasoned candidate to fill the starting role.
Was opportunity the selling point to come to Green Bay, depth chart opportunity? Cody asked Owens.
"Absolutely it was a big selling point for me and my agent. My agent he kind of explained you can come in man, open room, and everyone is coming into to compete, compete make each other better so this is probably the best opportunity for me to come to in the NFL. Just was really waiting on the perfect opportunity," Owens answered.
REPORTING FROM LAMBEAU FIELD CODY KRUPP FOX 11 SPORTS
