What Does 2018 Hold for Josh Hawkins?
By jasonperone
Last summer, Green Bay Packers cornerback Josh Hawkins was another of what seems to be an annual tradition of undrafted free agents making a splash in preseason.
Hawkins, entering his second year with the team at that time, turned in a few very good performances and landed himself a roster spot in 2017.
Hawkins came into last season no higher than fifth on the depth chart. Ahead of him were Davon House, Damarious Randall, Quinten Rollins and rookie Kevin King.
Injuries to Rollins, King and House forced Hawkins into more action. He logged 403 snaps on defense, 38.3% of the team's total on defense. Only House and Randall had more snaps among the true cornerback group. We also need to remember the various defensive packages Green Bay ran last year, many of which put another safety/linebacker on the field.
Cornerback is still a position of need for the Packers, despite all of the attention it has received over the last three offseasons. Experience is one thing that has seemed to be lacking among the cornerback group so having a guy like Hawkins return for a third season in 2018 would seem to have its upside.
The question is, what type of jump or performance is likely from him this season?
Hawkins defended six total passes in 2017, four of which occurred in the first five weeks of the season. He tied House with six and only Randall had more among all Packers cornerbacks, with nine. Five of those passes that Hawkins defended came in two individual games.
Hawkins seems to make plays in bunches. While he may sometimes show liability in coverage, he has shown ability to make plays and isn't afraid to stick his hands in and make every attempt to thwart a pass attempt. That is, after all, his job.
Assuming King recovers from shoulder surgery and Randall is ready to roll in 2018, the Packers still are going to need another legitimate starter at corner. That then means they also need more quality depth. Hawkins seems like a no brainer but assuming a veteran is added or House is brought back, Hawkins is still no better than fourth on the depth chart.
Listening to Hawkins, he seems to have a good head on his shoulders and he'll be one to watch this offseason and preseason. We also need to keep in mind, however, that Hawkins isn't a burner or likely to turn All-Pro. He was ranked 107th of all NFL cornerbacks last season with a 43.4 rating according to Pro Football Focus.
But Hawkins could end up being a key role player on a defense that absolutely needs to improve quite a bit if the Packers have hopes of making it to another Super Bowl. The Packers should and likely will give him every opportunity to earn that chance.
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Jason is a freelance writer on staff since 2012 and also co-hosts Cheesehead TV Live, Pulse of the Pack and Pack A Day podcasts. You can follow him on Twitter here
Comments (27)
Roadrunner23
February 26, 2018 at 06:17 am
Hawkins is certainly in the mix, he's not real big but has long arms, speed and a playmakers mentality. This is year three for him, it's time to take that step and I believe he can in Pettine's system. Im sure we are all hoping he makes that jump.
GO PACK!
OrganLeroy
February 26, 2018 at 02:42 pm
Hawkins runs a sub 4.4 so I don't know how this writer can say that he isn't a burner, you'd think he'd do some research before writing an article with false facts. Hawkins just needs to work harder to improve his reads and decisions in coverage, he has the physical tools, and we need the help.
Madfan
February 26, 2018 at 07:33 am
I thought his play was pushing him down on the depth chart with Pipkins possibly passing him. And then there is Brown.
RCPackerFan
February 26, 2018 at 07:41 am
Hawkins is a guy that could boom or bust. I think he could become a Shields or Williams type of CB. Or he could be the next guy cut.
Hopefully its the former vs the latter.
He has skills and can be a play maker type of CB. He just needs to be more consistent. Hopefully in year 3 and a new scheme will allow him to emerge.
stockholder
February 26, 2018 at 07:50 am
The best will get is Bush #2. Same with Rollins. I suggest they resign House.
Thegreatreynoldo
February 26, 2018 at 11:43 am
Welcome back. Yeah, noticed a bit on an absence. Welcome back to Bearmeat (and congrats) as well.
Handsback
February 26, 2018 at 07:48 am
He's a UDFA and expecting him to perform like Shields is just not going to happen. To stay in the league, he will need to step up and I really have to wonder if he can.
If he doesn't make that leap this year, then he is what you see....a 4-5th CB that better shine on ST in order to stay on the team.
dobber
February 26, 2018 at 08:09 am
"Hawkins came into last season no higher than fifth on the depth chart. Ahead of him were Davon House, Damarious Randall, Quinten Rollins and rookie Kevin King. "
Actually, he was likely even with or behind Ladarius Gunter, too, who was cut after week 1...so he might have been #6 on the depth chart.
Remember 2016 when Hawkins couldn't get defensive snaps even when the Packers had no DBs left to put on the field? Hawkins finally saw play in 2017 due mostly to injuries. He was game but he's just not good enough, yet. Maybe he'll blossom under a new DC and a new system. If he's going to stick, he'll need to be markedly better.
flackcatcher
February 26, 2018 at 07:30 pm
Joe Whitt fought hard for Gunter. Gunter was cut purely on physical specs alone. Hawkins was kept and showed again he does not the mental ability to play CB at a pro level. A stupid decision made by the Packer front office which played a major role in destroying the secondary last season. Packers should cut Hawkins, so he can get a second chance with some other NFL club.
4thand1
February 26, 2018 at 08:18 am
It's amazing what a couple of key injuries can do to de-rail a team. Shields injury was huuuuuuge, we still haven't recovered. Collins was even bigger, I don't have to remind everyone about the safety situation for years. The only way I see to fix corner back is to get one FA who can step in immediately and get the next starter with who we have. It should be King IMO hopefully his shoulder issues will be behind him. Shutting down one side of the field would be a major step in the right direction.
Tundraboy
February 26, 2018 at 10:11 am
Just another player that we hope Pettine sees something else in, that he can get more out of. Lots of decisions looming ahead. Sure going to have a lot to talk about here.
marpag1
February 26, 2018 at 11:40 am
Hey, I'd love to see the kid turn into a stud, but frankly, if we are planning to get any kind of boost from Josh Hawkins, then I want a better plan.
I hear a lot of guys suggesting (or at least hoping and praying) that Hawkins can be "the next Sam Shields or Tramon Williams." Presumably they say that just because all three went undrafted. But Williams and Shields showed clear and immediate promise from the first moment that they stepped onto the field. Both Williams and Shields played in 14 games as rookies. Heck, Shields STARTED 6 games as a rookie and intercepted two passes. Hawkins? Uh... played 8 defensive snaps as a rookie, and couldn't get on the field as a sophomore until virtually every other DB was in the hospital or dead.
Hawkins ain't no Shields or Williams. Backup at best, and I would hope to have a better backup.
[email protected]
February 26, 2018 at 11:43 am
I agree.
Tramon did it with technique (4.57 - with Woodson & Harris mentoring him) , Shields had more speed (4.29). Hawkins had a 4.39 40. Not REAL slow, but not a burner.
OrganLeroy
February 26, 2018 at 02:46 pm
Since when is sub 4.4 not fast in todays NFL or any time in the NFL?
carlos
February 27, 2018 at 10:57 pm
4.39 is fast. Real fast.
Thegreatreynoldo
February 26, 2018 at 11:51 am
Off topic, Marpag, but in case you didn't go back, I didn't mean to imply that I thought (or know) that TT has dementia or Alzheimer's in a previous response, though I can see how it easily could have been inferred by my lack of clarity. You and John Kirk had a back and forth, but I was driving at a different point: mainly that even if TT has slowed down, which I don't know to be the case, I am fine with Gute using TT as a valuable resource in drafting, particularly OL and WRs, and as institutional knowledge when dealing with agents of FAs.
marpag1
February 26, 2018 at 12:26 pm
All good, TGR. If I had truly been upset I would have hacked into your account and changed your screen name to "The Somewhat Pedestrian Reynoldo," but as you can see, I didn't do that. ;)
I see things the same way that you do with TT. I should have moved on from that other thread much sooner than I did. I don't deny the POSSIBILITY that Ted is slowing down ... who would deny that it's possible? More than that I would positively assert that even if Ted is mentally as sharp as a tack he certainly doesn't LOOK like a high power front office guy, and that presents some challenges in our Sports Center / sound byte world. But a lot of the things that people claim about Ted and his alleged "condition" are nothing more than illogical nonsense and wild speculation, and some of it is almost outright slander.
John Ramble Kirk
February 26, 2018 at 12:42 pm
I'm glad to see you guys bury the mini hatchet of that back and forth.
You're already out of this one, marpag, but since I was referenced above in TGR's post on the matter, I would just like to add that your last line is simply your opinion. There's nothing illogical. Wild speculation? No. Speculation? Sure, but no different than your brand in defense. Slander? No. It would be libel, but then it's not that either.
We stopped at a good time...had it gone on you may have come over to my side. Case and point...above you admit that Ted's LOOK (must mean that of an unwell individual) presented "challenges". So, saying the org took steps to hide those challenges or make them disappear isn't wild speculation or illogical or slander or libel. It's a likely explanation for the move out of the spotlight.
Never wanted it to turn contentious for you. It was fun for me to see why you felt differently than I did.
marpag1
February 26, 2018 at 01:03 pm
LOL.
Thegreatreynoldo
February 26, 2018 at 01:18 pm
Well, that would have been original, Marpag. The-not-so-great-reynoldo is usually what folks threaten to change my user name to, which has happened on multiple occasions, sometimes with some justice.
Colin_C
February 26, 2018 at 12:05 pm
I like Hawkins, but unless he has an incredible improvement, I really hope he doesn't need to see the field much in 2018. I'm not even sure he'll make the team to be honest. If we draft 1 or 2 CB's and maybe sign a FA, that doesn't leave much room. Plus, Pipkins (albeit less playing time) looked like he has more potential to me, and coaches were raving about Herb Waters last offseason. It'll be interesting to see how it all shakes out.
John Ramble Kirk
February 26, 2018 at 12:04 pm
What does 2018 hold for Hawkins? Probably the same thing that eventually happened to a former 1st round CB who wore boxing gloves, for us, and wore the same #28.
Da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da...
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0913/4890/products/AhmadCarrollF_1024x...
Packer_Fan
February 26, 2018 at 12:54 pm
Expecting Hawkins to develop into a Shields or Tramon Williams is a long shot. The Pack need a true #1 CB in free agency and a good veteran backup.
And why did Hyde and Hayward play better outside of of Green Bay. I am not too enamored with the previous coaches. Hopefully Pettine can change some of that and make some of these young CB's better.
There was something happening with Capers and his coaches. Poor communication, missed development (ie Hyde & Hayward) created a lousy defense. I am hoping that Pettine can turn some of this around.
flackcatcher
February 26, 2018 at 07:16 pm
Your point about Capers and his coaches can not be hit hard enough. For all the whining about Packer defense, when playoff time came, they were ready. Something happened to make this year defense collapse like it did. That may be the one unreported story of the past season.
Cartwright
February 27, 2018 at 09:21 am
From what I've seen, I see a kid who for the most part can stay with his man. He's gotten burned but all cb's get burned. Those long arms are an asset, maybe Pettine inspires this kid to play with passion utilizing those arms in ways Hawkins could only imagine. Who knows maybe we got a diamond in the rough.
Pack88
February 27, 2018 at 05:53 pm
Having an UDFA turn into a player is not common and usually takes a lot of hard work and patience, and GB has a history here Cullen Jenkins, Lane Taylor, Tramon Williams and Sam Shields so I do not discount the possibility but unlike Tramon and Sam- Josh Hawkins really appears to lack the instinct's for his job. How many times did the fleet of foot but slow of thought get toasted- just remember 2 years ago in the Detroit game he personally turned a rout unto a nail biter and how many times last year did we see as the picture illustrates looking for a ball already in the receivers arms. It would be another success story for Whitt if Hawkins turned into a player but like most posters here I am thinking depth not starter ! Hope he proves me wrong
Chuck Farley
February 27, 2018 at 09:12 pm
He got burned and picked on often. When he's on the field they throw at him with much success. Adios josh.