Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
Twenty Four hours ago, Green Bay Packers running back Ty Montgomery said he had a hard time trusting his teammates and he wasn’t sure what his role was on the team. Fast forward one day and Montgomery was sent to the Baltimore Ravens for a 7th round draft pick in 2020.
Montgomery fumbled a kick return after being told not to bring the football out of the end zone. Criticism quickly followed from Montgomery’s teammates and the Packers returner said its hard to trust anyone now.
Montgomery was selected in the third round out of Stanford in 2015. In 36 career games, he caught 129 passes for 827 yards and three touchdowns. He has rushed for 849 yards and seven touchdowns.
Montgomery will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season. His departure means the Packers no longer have a single player from that 2015 draft class on the active roster. Linebacker Jake Ryan is the only member of that class still a part of the organization, but he’s on injured reserve.
The Packers later, sent safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix to the Washington Redskins for a fourth-round draft pick in next years draft. Clinton-Dix is also an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. He was the Packers first-round pick out of Alabama in 2014, went to the Pro Bowl in 2016 and had 14 career interceptions. That ties Clinton-Dix for 8th in the league since his rookie season.
Clinton-Dix has never missed a game and has three interceptions this season, one more than the rest of the defense combined.
Since GM Brian Gutekunst took over nine months ago, he has traded or released ten of Ted Thompson’s draft picks, a pair of first-rounders, a second rounder, third rounder, a fourth rounder, two fifth rounders, two sixth rounders and a seventh rounder.
The Packers got rid of two players, one (Ty Montgomery) who most would agree had to go. But the Packers didn’t get better today with the deal that sent Clinton-Dix to the Redskins. It leaves them with Jermaine Whitehead and Kentrell Brice as the two likely starters at safety with Josh Jones potentially working his way into the mix.
The Packers could also bring Tramon Williams into the mix. Williams has had some experience at the position.
The Packers secondary played really well on Sunday against the Rams, but the safety play has had its ups and downs. Dealing Clinton-Dix and not getting anything back until next season didn’t make the Packers any better.