Chandon Sullivan has likely won a starting job for the Green Bay Packers defense to start the 2020 season.
Defensive coordinator Mike Pettine all but confirmed that Sullivan, who is entering his second season with the Packers, will start as the team’s nickel cornerback, joining perimeter cornerbacks Jaire Alexander and Kevin King and safeties Darnell Savage and Adrian Amos in the Packers secondary.
Pettine listed Sullivan – or Sully, for short – as a starter at nickel while commenting on his confidence in the group overall.
“For us, I feel really good about the backend, know this is a group – with Sully at the nickel and Jaire and Kevin outside and Darnell and Adrian – that’s a real solid unit,” Pettine said during a Zoom call Thursday. “Guys that are smart, they understand the game, they understand what we’re trying to do, they communicate well. We’re going to lean on them heavily over the course of this year.”
Sullivan will take over in the slot for Tramon Williams, who wasn’t re-signed after starting all 16 games last season. Signed off the street last May, Sullivan developed into a valuable fourth cornerback for Pettine last season, helping prove to the Packers that he was ready for a bigger role in 2020.
Sullivan was highly effective in coverage in 2019, and the Packers believe he’s physical enough against the run to play inside as the primary nickel, a starting job for just about any modern NFL defense.
When the Packers didn’t bring back Williams, a trusted veteran, Sullivan became the leading candidate to start in the slot. He has done nothing in camp to suggest he isn’t ready to make the big jump from rotational player to starter.
“We’re pleased with where we are,” Pettine said when asked about the secondary. “I do feel good about that group. Not just how they perform individually, but how they perform together.”
The Packers are also expecting Josh Jackson to play a lot on the backend this season. A second-round pick in 2018, Jackson’s “main focus” has been playing on the outside during camp, making him the obvious backup should anything happen to Alexander or King on the perimeter.
Pettine said Jackson has shown up at times during camp with his length but still needs more consistent technique.
“We like the way he’s trending. Just knowing what type of year this is going to be, he’s going to play some significant minutes for us,” Pettine said.
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