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The Green Bay Packers have improved their pass with a young player on the rise and their secondary player with reliable security.
Ian Rapoport, of the NFL Network Insider, announced Tuesday morning that the Packers were to sign former Baltimore Ravens striker, Za Darius Smith, and former Bears goaltender, Adrian Amos, according to informed sources of the agreements.
Rapoport noted that the Packers had tried to negotiate for Smith a few years ago when the linebacker had been buried in the Ravens rotation. Now, Green Bay is asking the linebacker outside to enter the competition.
Smith exploded in 2018, winning 8.5 bag sacks, the highest number in career, including a three-bag performance in the 6-game White Tee against the Titans of Tennessee. Smith generated 60 pressures in 2018, ranking 17th among the NFL's defensemen, according to Pro Football Focus.
The former Kentucky pick in the fourth round has athletics and the ability to turn speed into power. He may have difficulty defending himself, but Smith will be paid to disrupt the smuggler.
Smith is only 26 years old, Smith infuses a bit of youth and athleticism into the Packers runaway race. Smith is a big improvement over Nick Perry, still injured, and adds young legs to replace Clay Matthews, though long-time Packer player leaves the country through the free agent.
Green Bay, who was heading for a free goal, was in desperate need to give his defense coordinator Mike Pettine a pass to complete his plan. Smith is what Pettine is looking for in his hustle: A guard who saliva at the thought of snapping a QB.
In terms of safety, Packers fans know Amos well after the former 25-year-old fifth-round pick has spent the last four seasons in Chicago.
Amos has never had the attention that his Bears teammate, Eddie Jackson, has garnered, but it's one of the strongest and most consistent guarantees of the entire NFL over the past two seasons. Pro Football Focus has ranked Amos as one of the top 10 security covers of the past two seasons. In the past three seasons combined, Amos has won the third highest grade among the securities, by PFF.
The addition of reliable security that has generated nine forbidden passes and two interceptions in 2018 caters to a screaming need in the back of the Packers. Pettine likes to send rushers after the quarterback but must trust her high school to achieve this goal. With a player as reliable as Amos in the defensive field, Pettine should be released to be more creative in 2019.
Sweeping Amos from rival Bears offers an added bonus to Packers fans.
After years with the Packers, the new general manager, Brian Gutekunst, made his mark on his first off-season, giving Green Bay an indispensable help in his defense.
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