McGinn Wrap, Part 10: The 1979-2021 All-Time Green Bay Packers defense

Reggie. LeRoy. Woodson and Matthews and Barnett. The best of the very best that our Hall-of-Fame writer Bob McGinn covered in Green Bay on defense are ranked.

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Reggie White, LeRoy Butler and Charles Woodson were easy. They were inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame for a reason.

If only the other positions on the All-McGinn defense were that automatic.

In the previous installment of this series, I ranked the top players on offense for the Green Bay Packers in the 43-year period from 1979 to 2021, which were the years that I covered the team for newspapers and websites. The installment today will cover the defense, with the special teams to follow.

My first step was arranging the players by position. They could only be listed once, and so the determining factor was which position they played most often.

The problem with that was the Packers didn’t always play the same scheme.

The 1979 season, my first year on the beat, corresponded with Dave Hanner’s last of eight seasons as defensive coordinator. Hanner coached the 4-3, the scheme in which he played defensive tackle for the Packers from 1952-’64.

Unlike many organizations that constantly have flipped their base defensive configuration between the 4-3 and 3-4, the Packers were remarkably static. They’ve had 13 coordinators since Hanner, but in those 42 years the scheme was changed just three times.

Post-Hanner, the 3-4 had a run of 14 seasons under coordinators John Meyer (1980-’83), Dick Modzelewski (1984-’87), Hank Bullough (1988-’91) and Ray Rhodes (1992-’93).

After Rhodes returned to the San Francisco 49ers as coordinator under George Seifert, coach Mike Holmgren hired Fritz Shurmur and a 15-year run in the 4-3 team was underway. Shurmur (1994-’98) was followed by Emmitt Thomas (1999), Ed Donatell (2000-’03), Bob Slowik (2004), Jim Bates (2005) and Bob Sanders (2006-’08).

In January 2009, Mike McCarthy fired Sanders and brought in Dom Capers, which began another lengthy stretch in the 3-4 that presently is in its 14th season. Capers, who lasted nine years (2009-’17), was succeeded by Mike Pettine (2018-’20) and Joe Barry (2021).

The final tally shows 27 seasons in the 3-4 and 16 seasons in the 4-3. The imbalance required some juggling when it came to position choices.

Generally, my base end position included 5-techniques in the 3-4 and left ends in the 4-3. The 3-technique position generally included the under tackle in the 4-3 and, depending on the version of the 3-4 front that was employed, the tackle that played shaded near the B gap.

The edge rusher position included right ends in the 4-3, the outside linebackers on the weak side (often right side) in the 3-4 and players employed primarily as designated pass rushers.

At linebacker, the strong-side position was reserved mostly for players in the 4-3. The weak-side position incorporated inside linebackers from both the 4-3 and 3-4 that typically played away from the tight end.

After much consideration, I made the decision to list the cornerbacks by side. Over the years, it probably could be said that the best corner usually played the left side. As a result, several of the players at left corner probably would have made the first team at right corner. Corners tended to switch sides during seasons and their careers, but their most common position determined where they were listed.

A player such as Chandon Sullivan spent almost his entire career as an inside defender. Granted, the third cornerback plays as much if not more than one of the two inside linebackers in today’s game, which cries out for the separate position of nickel corner. But because this exercise covers 43 years of defensive football in Green Bay it seemed most appropriate to assign Sullivan to one of the two cornerback positions and forego the nickel.

My main dilemma was judging players with many years of good performance against those that were major contributors in much shorter careers.

Some difficult calls had to be made at edge rusher, where the lengthy, pre-free agency careers of Ezra Johnson and Mike Douglass were in sharp contrast to those of free-agent, short-term standouts such as Za’Darius Smith and Julius Peppers. Nose tackle was another, where short-timer Grady Jackson had to be stacked against old standbys Ryan Pickett and Gilbert Brown.

As explained in the offense installment, I reviewed my grades from the past 30 decades in addition to going back in my files to refresh on the pre-grading era of 1979-’90. At each position, I averaged the grades of players with at least three graded seasons.

Those grades annually were assigned about a week after the end of the season, playoffs included. They followed year-long consultation with personnel men and assistant coaches for the Packers and other teams. For those reasons, and the fact my criteria and scale never changed, I trust the grades and allowed them to lead me toward these rankings.

Here, then, is the All-McGinn defense covering the past 43 seasons in Green Bay.

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BASE DEFENSIVE ENDS

First Team: Reggie White, 1993-’98 (95 regular-season games).

Second Team: Aaron Kampman, 2002-’09 (112).

Third team: Vonnie Holliday, 1998-’02 (66).

Others: 4. Sean Jones, 1994-’96 (47); 5. Mike Butler, 1977-’82, ’85 (95); 6. Robert Brown, 1982-’92 (164); 7. Johnny Jolly, 2006-’09, ’13 (61); 8. Matt Brock, 1989-’94 (76); 9. Alphonso Carreker, 1984-’88 (72); 10. Dean Lowry, 2016-’21 (96); 11. Casey Merrill, 1979-’83 (59); 12. C.J. Wilson, 2010-’13 (50); 13. Vaughn Booker, 1998-’99 (30); 14. Tyler Lancaster, 2018-’21 (59); 15. Jarius Wynn, 2009-’11 (36); 16. Michael Montgomery, 2005-’10 (58); 17. Josh Boyd, 2013-’15 (26); 18. Don Davey, 1991-’94 (50); 19. Byron Braggs, 1981-’83 (41); 20. Joe Johnson, 2002-’03 (11).

Overview: White’s six grades – in chronological order, they were A-minus, A, A, A, B and B-plus – were worth 60 points, with 12 points for an A-plus, 11 for an A, 10 for an A-minus and so on. His 10.0 average trailed only Sterling Sharpe, who averaged 10.5 with 42 points in his final four seasons. Sharpe’s career grade is incomplete, however, because I wasn’t grading in his first three seasons. At his best, White was the most unstoppable player I ever covered. His presence, both on the field and in the locker room, was unparalleled … Kampman closed his eight-year career with three A’s and three B’s. His pressure totals were remarkable … It was an exceedingly close call between Holliday and Jones. Both had exceptional careers. Holliday had a longer career (everything is based on a player’s career in Green Bay) and posted a B-plus in 2001 whereas Jones’ best marks were B’s in his first two years … Butler, the ninth selection in 1977, had two double-digit sack seasons and could stack the run when he was so inclined … Drafted in the fourth round as a 235-pound outside linebacker, Brown grew into a 270-pound end and could two-gap with the best of them. “Robert plays solid and steady every week,” D-line coach Greg Blache said in July 1990. “You can count on it like a clock turning.” Brown never missed a game. Oldtimers might remember how well Brown played against legendary Bengals LT Anthony Munoz … Jolly batted down what the team said was a record 11 balls in his finest season (2009, grade of B) before personal demons shortened his career … Before the arrival of White, Brock probably was the club’s best D-lineman for two or three years … Carreker, the 12th pick in 1984, was so ordinary that the Packers elected not to protect him in the Plan B draft of 1989. The Packers selected Carreker one slot before the Vikings tabbed DT Keith Millard … Lowry has started for a long time. From the same era, Lancaster wasn’t quite as good … Merrill loved to play … Wilson and Wynn earned Super Bowl rings … Johnson, with a long injury history in New Orleans, blew out a triceps and then a quadriceps within 12 months to ruin Mike Sherman’s biggest foray into unrestricted free agency.

3-TECHNIQUE DEFENSIVE TACKLES

First Team: Mike Daniels, 2012-’18 (102).

Second Team: Cullen Jenkins, 2004-’10 (93).

Third Team: B.J. Raji, 2009-’15 (91).

Others: 4. Santana Dotson, 1996-’01 (88); 5. Cletidus Hunt, 1999-’04 (85); 6. Corey Williams, 2004-’07 (56); 7. Billy Lyon, 1998-’02 (59); 8. Gabe Wilkins, 1994-’97 (60); 9. Jim Flanigan, 2001 (16); 10. Blaise Winter, 1988-’90 (45); 11. Kingsley Keke, 2019-’21 (41); 12. Lester Archambeau, 1990-’92 (36); 13. Darius Holland, 1995-’97 (42); 14. Steve McMichael, 1994 (16); 15. Shawn Patterson, 1988-’93 (48); 16. Montravius Adams, 2017-’20 (45); 17. Kenny Peterson, 2003-’05 (34); 18. Earl Edwards, 1979 (nine); 19. Justin Harrell, 2007-’10 (14); 20. Jerel Worthy, 2012-’13 (16).

Overview: Daniels was the best player on the team in 2015, his lone A season in the middle of four B campaigns. He combined phenomenal effort with phenomenal leadership … His grades were slightly ahead of Jenkins, another invaluable interior rusher … Raji and Ryan Pickett played side-by-side for five years, and more times than not the squatty Raji aligned as the 3-technique. His best season, the Super Bowl season of 2010, was so special that it gave him a razor-thin margin over Dotson … Dotson was far better than everyone behind him on the list. The fact he played so much better for the Packers than for the Buccaneers from 1992-’95 was a critical factor in the Super Bowl seasons … Hunt developed from a C to a B player (2002-’03) before fading away … Williams, with two D seasons, a C-plus and a B-minus in 2007, was traded to the Browns in February 2008 for a second-round pick that was used on QB Brian Brohm … Holland possessed vast potential as well but wouldn’t play hard all the time … Lyon was underrated. He almost always produced … Wilkins’ production never matched his ability … Of the ex-Bears, Flanigan far outshone McMichael during their one-year adventures in Wisconsin. Mike Holmgren cited McMichael for his invaluable intangibles but he was a D-minus player before being whacked almost immediately after 1994 season … Nobody was more driven to succeed than Winter … Keke was a solid pass rusher in 2020 before he disappeared … Patterson, an early second-round choice in 1988, was limited to 12 ½ sacks in six years by three reconstructive knee surgeries … Thanks to two back operations, a blown knee and weight-gain problems, Harrell missed 57 of 71 games and never had a sack. He was the 16th pick in 2007.

NOSE TACKLES

First Team: Kenny Clark, 2016-’21 (89).

Second Team: Grady Jackson, 2003-’05 (34).

Third Team: Ryan Pickett, 2006-’13 (119).

Others: 4. Gilbert Brown, 1993-’99, 2001-’03 (125); 5. Terry Jones, 1978-’84 (85); 6. John Jurkovic, 1991-’95 (69); 7. Letroy Guion, 2014-’16 (44); 8. Colin Cole, 2004-’08 (57); 9. Charles Martin, 1984-’87 (48); 10. Russell Maryland, 2000 (16); 11. Bob Nelson, 1988-’90 (46); 12. Donnie Humphrey, 1984-’86 (48); 13. Jerry Boyarsky, 1986-’89 (29); 14. Howard Green, 2010-’11 (25); 15. Mike Pennel, 2014-’16 (37); 16. Rod Walker, 2001-’03 (31); 17. Esera Tuaolo, 1991-’92 (20); 18. Charles Johnson, 1979-’80, ’83 (45); 19. Rich Turner, 1981-’83 (30).

Overview: After a C first year apprenticing behind Guion, Clark has gone A-minus, A, A-minus, B-plus and A for an average of 9.33. He’s that one-in-a-million nose tackle that can do it all. It’s so out of character to watch him having so little impact this season … In 2003, playing just 10 games after being awarded on waivers from New Orleans, Jackson was another complete nose and earned an A-minus. Granted, his career here last just three seasons, but his average of 8.33 eclipsed Pickett’s 7.25 and Brown’s 5.4 … Pickett, an afterthought in St. Louis as a first-round pick, put together six B seasons and two C seasons. He epitomized consistency and professionalism … Brown, a B-plus player as a ring-winning shock absorber in 1996, never graded better than B-minus (twice) in his last six seasons. “The Gravedigger” couldn’t stay in shape or healthy … Jones, just 6-2 and 250, was as fundamentally sound as a nose guard could be. A pair of ruptured Achilles’ tendon injuries shortened his career … Jurkovic never graded higher than C-plus. He started during the building years (1992-’95) before Brown took over in 1996 … Guion’s best year was 2014 (C-plus) but scouts in the NFC North still ranked him as the division’s worst nose … Martin refused to practice at anything less than game tempo, inflaming some of the offensive players. A reject from the USFL and the CFL, he was a fanatical worker … Maryland, the No. 1 overall pick in 1991 by Dallas, served as a dignified role model in his one C season … Boyarsky, nicknamed “The Cookie Monster” in his years in Cincinnati, beat out Martin in 1987 before his career went south in September 1988 because of a shattered forearm … The aging Nelson was another warhorse and took over for Boyarsky from 1988-’90 … Humphrey, an engaging personality and favorite of Forrest Gregg, started at end as a rookie before he got fat and never really regained his conditioning. He was the last player I ever saw smoking a cigarette in the Packers’ locker room … Green will be remembered for pressuring Ben Roethlisberger into the Super Bowl interception that was returned 37 yards for a touchdown by Nick Collins … Tuaolo, a second-round pick in 1991 by Tom Braatz, started as a rookie before being released four games into his second season by Ron Wolf … Johnson and Turner backed up Jones during the installation years of the 3-4.

EDGE RUSHERS

First Team: Clay Matthews, 2009-’18 (143).

Second Team: Tim Harris, 1986-’90 (76).

Third Team: Ezra Johnson, 1977-’87 (148).

Others: 4. Mike Douglass, 1978-’85 (119); 5. Za’Darius Smith, 2019-’21 (33); 6. Julius Peppers, 2014-’16 (48); 7. Tony Bennett, 1990-’93 (56); 8. Bryce Paup, 1990-’94 (64); 9. Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, 2000-’08 (124); 10. Rashan Gary, 2019-’21 (47); 11. Preston Smith, 2019-’21 (48); 12. Nick Perry, 2012-’18 (81); 13. Mike Neal, 2010-’15 (68); 14. Keith McKenzie, 1996-’99, 2002 (62); 15. Erik Walden, 2010-’12 (40); 16. John Thierry, 2000-’01 (28); 17. Datone Jones, 2013-’16 (59); 18. Bob Barber, 1976-’79 (60); 19. Kyler Fackrell, 2016-’19 (61); 20. David Bowens, 2000 (14); 21. Dezman Moses, 2012 (16); 22. Frank Zombo, 2010-’12 (25); 23. Jamal Reynolds, 2001-’03 (18).

Overview: In my 31 years of grading only two players ever had A’s four years in a row: Reggie White, from 1993-’96, and Matthews, in his first four seasons. Matthews averaged 8.5, making him the clearcut choice as the best of an all-star field. Trading a pair of third-round choices to jump from No. 41 to No. 26 for Matthews was one of Ted Thompson’s five best personnel decisions. It gave the Packers a Super Bowl-winning pass rush. The moment the pick was announced I was convinced the Packers had hit a home run. All the scouts loved him. Matthews is sure to be in the Hall of Fame discussion … Harris, Johnson, Douglass, Za’Darius Smith and Peppers all were good enough to warrant second team … A fourth-round pick in 1986, Harris became an All-Pro by ’89 despite constant double-teaming. With long arms, canary legs and all-world chase, Harris was supremely talented … Johnson, the 28th choice in 1977, amassed 20 ½ sacks in his second season and made the Pro Bowl; the next Packers defensive player to make it was Harris 11 years later. A 240-pounder with 4.6 speed, Johnson had to put on 15-20 pounds when the Packers switched to the 3-4 in his fourth season. Injuries eventually wore him down but playing the run didn’t. He was a wiry tough guy, and took holding the point as a challenge. His sack total would have been higher had he been able to play right end in a 4-3 for his entire career … Douglass, 5-10 and about 210, joined the club a year after Johnson and had some huge play-making seasons. He was a slippery, potent pass rusher. He took the ball away. He ran all over the field. He hit … Za’Darius Smith had 65 ½ pressures (15 ½ were sacks) in 2019, the best pass-rushing season I charted in 24 years. He still was a B-plus player in Year 2 before back surgery wiped out his third season … Peppers totaled 11 takeaways in 2014, the most by a Packers’ front-seven defender in at least 25 years. He wasn’t as good the next two years but his three-year, $26 million contract was more than earned … Bennett used his freakish power to total 26 ½ sacks in 1992-’93. When the front office didn’t get him signed for 102 days in 1993 it led to a C-plus season in ’94 and his departure to Indianapolis … Drafted in the sixth round as an inside linebacker, Paup soon move outside, improved each of his five seasons and became a premier pass rusher … “KGB” never posted an A season but put together five B years. He was a relentless speed rusher … Making a slow but sure adjustment from playing down at Michigan to up in Green Bay, Gary’s grades leaped from D to B to A-minus … Preston Smith joined Za’Darius Smith at or near the top Brian Gutekunst’s free-agent hit list … The drop-off starts with Perry, whose finest season in 2016 (B-plus) also marked his only one above a C-plus … Neal lost weight to stand up, overcame a rash of injuries and a suspension to close his Packers 0career with three straight B-minus seasons … McKenzie grew into a B designated pass rusher … With Brad Jones, Brady Poppinga and Frank Zombo hurt, Walden started six games down the stretch to help the Packers reach the Super Bowl in 2010. He started 15 more games the next year on a 15-1 team … Thierry, an ex-Bear, probably had the best year of his career with 31 pressures in 2000 … Not unlike Neal, Datone Jones never really found an NFL position to suit his ability … Barber played very well in 1977 and ’79 … Reynolds, the 10th pick in 2001, played 390 snaps in 22 games over three lost seasons.

STRONG-SIDE LINEBACKERS

First Team: John Anderson, 1978-’89 (146).

Second Team: Wayne Simmons, 1993-’97 (64).

Third Team: George Koonce, 1992-’99 (112).

Others: 4. Na’il Diggs, 2000-’05 (84); 5. Gary Weaver, 1975-’79 (63); 6. Brandon Chillar, 2008-’10 (34); 7. Brady Poppinga, 2005-’10 (81); 8. Hannibal Navies, 2003-’04 (31); 9. Scott Stephen, 1987-’91 (72); 10. Seth Joyner, 1997 (11); 11. Paris Lenon, 2002-’05 (64); 12. Bobby Leopold, 1986 (12); 13. Andy Mulumba, 2013-’15 (22).

Overview: After drafting poorly from 1973-’75, the team’s brain trust (Bart Starr, Dick Corrick) struck it rich with Mike Butler, Ezra Johnson and Greg Koch atop the ’77 draft and James Lofton, Anderson (No. 26) and Mike Douglass among five starters in ’78. Almost immediately, Anderson was declared the best athlete on the squad. By his third year, however, he had suffered a break in the same arm three times. Reporters voted him the team’s best defensive player in 1982, ’83 and ’84. When Hank Bullough took over as coordinator in 1988, he was shocked when Anderson clocked 4.7 in a mini-camp 40. Anderson never made the Pro Bowl but in his 12 seasons he was the prototypical Sam backer … Simmons, the 15th pick in 1993, became so hard to handle that Ron Wolf and Mike Holmgren felt compelled to ship him to Kansas City for a fifth-round pick six games into 1997. In 1996, when his B grade was the best of his career, Simmons beat the daylights out of some tight ends (see San Francisco’s Brent Jones). He was the ultimate intimidator … Koonce was a tough, dependable performer. His best season (B in 1996) was cut short by a blown knee three weeks before the Super Bowl … Whether aligned at Sam or Will, Diggs played with a nasty demeanor … Not unlike Simmons, Weaver was a well-muscled presence whose forte was stuffing tight ends and setting a hard edge … Chillar, a rangy cover backer with speed, wasn’t the same player after receiving a lucrative four-year extension in December 2009 … Poppinga, with four C’s and two D’s, always was jacked up ready to play … Navies was a much better veteran filler than Joyner had been five years before … Stephen, a physical specimen with 4.59 speed on grass, was drafted in the third round in 1987 eventually to replace Anderson. He didn’t have the instincts to do it … Lenon played four years in Green Bay and eight more elsewhere, mostly as a starter. He was blue-collar through and through.

MIDDLE LINEBACKERS

First Team: Nick Barnett, 2003-’10 (107).

Second Team: Desmond Bishop, 2007-’11 (69).

Third Team: Brian Noble, 1985-’93 (117).

Others: 4. Randy Scott, 1981-’86 (78); 5. Bernardo Harris, 1995-’01 (111); 6. Rich Wingo, 1979-’84 (69); 7. Fred Strickland, 1994-’95 (30); 8. Jake Ryan, 2015-’17 (43); 9. Brad Jones, 2009-’14 (76); 10. Krys Barnes, 2020-’21 (29); 11. Kurt Allerman, 1980-’81 (29); 12. Sam Barrington, 2013-’15 (22); 13. Hardy Nickerson, 2002 (16); 14. B.J. Goodson, 2019 (15); 15. D.J. Smith, 2011-’12 (22); 16. Antonio Morrison, 2018 (16); 17. James Willis, 1993-’94 (25); 18. Ron Cox, 1996 (16); 19. Mike Hunt, 1978-’80 (22); 20. Torrance Marshall, 2001-’04 (51); 21. Mark D’Onofrio, 1992-’93 (two).

Overview: Barnett, with four B campaigns and an A-minus in 2007, posted an average of 7.0 that easily outdistanced the field. He arguably was the first modern-day Mike backer in Green Bay. Barnett had good size (6-1 1/2, 237), good speed (4.71) and liked attacking people … Bishop probably would have been No. 1 had he not suffered a hamstring injury in the 2012 exhibition opener in San Diego. He played sparingly for four teams after that but wasn’t close to being the same player. When Barnett went down with a season-ending wrist injury four games into 2010, Bishop released fury pent up from 3 ½ seasons as a backup and graded as a B player for the titlists. In 2011, he was even better with a B-plus. He was a head-hunter that found the ball … Noble (6-2, 250), a slugger in what at the time was a slugger’s game, drew a B-plus in 1991, my first year grading players, as possibly the best player on the team. He was named defensive MVP in 1987. Noble had a great feel for blunting the running game but could be exploited in coverage … Wingo, a rookie revelation in 1979 as a seventh-round pick and the Packers’ runaway tackling leader, missed all of 1980 because of back surgery for a herniated disc. One day, Wingo demonstrated to me how he was injured. His disc ruptured as he reached deep into the back of his cubicle with both arms to hang up his helmet after a practice during training camp. He returned in 1981 and played until ’84, but was never the same post-surgery … Scott (6-1, 226), who was a little faster than Wingo but oof similar size, gradually took over in the middle and started through 1986. A heavy hitter, he was defensive MVP in ’85. Wingo and Scott both played at Alabama … Harris, a free agent like Scott, stepped in as the starter in the second Super Bowl season (1997) and held the job for five years. Another undrafted free agent (North Carolina), he weighed 248 and could run … Jones began his career playing outside before injuries sent him inside in 2012. His career included three C seasons and three D seasons … Strickland, Allerman, Nickerson, Goodson, Morrison and Cox basically had seen better days by the time they arrived in Green Bay. None of them was more than a band-aid … Injuries felled Ryan (ACL in 2018), Barrington (foot, 2015) and Smith (ACL in 2012) … Hunt, a second-round pick in 1978, was athletic enough to start as a rookie but wasn’t a tough guy and didn’t last long … D’Onofrio, the No. 34 selection in 1992, looked like the answer in training camp and the first seven quarters of his rookie season. In the fourth quarter of Game 2 at Tampa Stadium, he suffered a torn hamstring, underwent surgery six months later and never played again. Ron Wolf once compared D’Onofrio to Matt Millen in terms of temperament and leadership.

WEAK-SIDE LINEBACKERS

First Team: Johnny Holland, 1987-’93 (103).

Second Team: Brian Williams, 1995-’00 (72).

Third Team: George Cumby, 1980-’85 (80).

Others: 4. A.J. Hawk, 2006-’14 (142); 5. De’Vondre Campbell, 2021 (16); 6. Nate Wayne, 2000-’02 (44); 7. Blake Martinez, 2016-’19 (61); 8. Joe Thomas, 2015-’17 (42); 9. Christian Kirksey, 2020 (11); 10. John Dorsey, 1984-’88 (76); 11. Jude Waddy, 1998-’99 (27); 12. Burnell Dent, 1986-’92 (95); 13. Nate Palmer, 2013-’15 (24); 14. Robert Thomas, 2005 (10); 15. Oren Burks, 2018-’21 (59).

Overview: Holland, a class act if there ever was one, became an immediate starter after being drafted in the second round. He was a flow-and-go backer, active in coverage and intuitive to the ball. Late in 1992, when he was emerging as a Pro Bowl performer with his finest season (A-minus), he suffered a spinal injury that required surgery. He returned in 1993 to lead the club in tackles with 154, but there no longer was much snap in his play. He retired in early 1994 … Williams, a third-round choice in 1995, was similar to Holland in size and playing style. He drew B grades each season from 1996-’99 before a pair of ruptured patellar tendons shortened his career … Cumby, drafted with the No. 26 pick in 1980 that was obtained from the Chargers for CB Willie Buchanon, was an effective starter from 1981-’84 before being beat out by Brian Noble in ’85. Though undersized, Cumby had terrific speed and man cover ability … Hawk, a starter from Day 1 after being the No. 5 pick, never had a grade higher than B-minus. He had four of those to go with three C’s, one D and one F … Campbell had a superb first season, especially in coverage, as a sensational June “street” free-agent signing … Wayne was an undersized, aggressive fireball whose average grade in three seasons (6.0) equaled Williams’ mark in six seasons … Martinez played a ton of snaps and made a ton of tackles. His top grade was B- in 2017 … The two Thomases and Waddy relied on speed … Kirksey made 11 starts in 2020 as a veteran band-aid … Described by team publicist Lee Remmel in 1989 as the “swashbuckling Marylander,” Dorsey made an occasional start but earned his keep primarily on special teams … Dent was the other long-time backup in the 1980s.

LEFT CORNERBACKS

First Team: Charles Woodson, 2006-’12 (100).

Second Team: Mike McKenzie, 1999-’04 (70).

Third Team: Tramon Williams, 2007-’14, 2018-’19 (159).

Others: 4. Mark Lee, 1980-’90 (157); 5. Jaire Alexander, 2018-’21 (48); 6. Craig Newsome, 1995-’98 (46); 7. Micah Hyde, 2013-’16 (63); 8. Estus Hood, 1978-’84 (104); 9. Davon House, 2011-’14, 2017-’18 (55); 10. Terrell Buckley, 1992-’94 (46); 11. Damarious Randall, 2015-’17 (39); 12. Eric Stokes, 2021 (16); 13. Tod McBride, 1999-’02 (61); 14. Ahmad Carroll, 2004-’06 (34); 15. Michael Hawthorne, 2003-’04 (30).

Overview: Woodson averaged 9.0 (63 grading points in seven seasons), giving him a comfortable margin over McKenzie’s 8.0 (40 in five). He was a takeaway machine, a touchdown maker and a tough, physical force. At times gambling to excess in order to make big plays, he was assigned responsibility on 48 plays of 20 yards or more and 21 touchdown passes in his six seasons as a cornerback. The starter on the other side during those six seasons, Al Harris or Tramon Williams, were responsible for 52 and 14 … When the Packers opened the 1999 draft by drafting three corners (Antuan Edwards, Fred Vinson and McKenzie), the first two came up empty but McKenzie was excellent. He had a special gift for playing press-man coverage. Their relationship having deteriorated, coach-GM Mike Sherman shipped McKenzie to New Orleans in early October 2004 for a second-round pick that became Nick Collins … Based on the Super Bowl season of 2010, Williams was one of the great corners in club history. He was a B player from 2012-’14 but never played back to his A status of ’10. In two separate stints in Green Bay, he forged an average grade of 6.4 … If only Lee had better hands. Despite starting for the last 10 of his 11 seasons he led the team in interceptions only twice. In 1986, his best year, he picked off nine passes while allowing just one TD. He was equally effective in press or off coverage, and his tackling improved as the years went on … After a pair of B-minus seasons Alexander moved up to B-plus in 2020 before slipping to C-plus in an injury-marred 2021 campaign … Newsome couldn’t run but rarely got beat. In the championship season of 1996, he graded B-plus. Then he blew out his knee on the first play of the ’97 season. Having lost speed he could ill afford to lose, he graded C-minus in ’98 and that was it … Hyde went on to make a Pro Bowl for the Bills at strong safety in 2017 but his 33 starts for the Packers included 17 at nickel, 15 at safety and one at corner. Whatever the assignment, he handled it well … Hood either started outside or in the slot for almost all of his lengthy career. Although not overly gifted, he was one tough competitor … House and McBride were size-speed players with OK careers … Buckley, nicknamed “Little Deion” at Florida State, went C, C and D in three seasons before being shipped out to Miami in April 1995 for “past considerations.” He was small (5-9, 174) and played small, had critical lapses, made 10 of his 50 career interceptions for the Packers and never lost his swagger. He was the No. 5 selection in 1992 … Randall, another excessively confident first-round choice, beat out Casey Hayward early in his rookie season (grade of C), regressed in 2016 (D) and improved to C-plus in 2017 before being traded to Cleveland for QB DeShone Kizer … Two other choices in the 20’s, Carroll (No. 25) and Stokes (No. 29), had different starts. Carroll (5-9 ½, 195) was penalized 22 times in his first two seasons before Ted Thompson jettisoned him four games into 2006. Stokes offered promise after a C rookie season.

RIGHT CORNERBACKS

First Team: Sam Shields, 2010-’16 (80).

Second Team: Doug Evans, 1993-’97 (79).

Third Team: Tyrone Williams, 1996-’02 (111).

Others: 4. Al Harris, 2003-’09 (102); 5. Tim Lewis, 1983-’86 (51); 6. Mike McCoy, 1976-’83 (110); 7. Dave Brown, 1987-’89 (44); 8. Casey Hayward, 2012-’15 (51); 9. Jerry Holmes, 1990-’91 (29); 10. Roland Mitchell, 1991-’94 (48); 11. Rasul Douglas, 2021 (12); 12. Kevin King, 2017-’21 (51); 13. Chandon Sullivan, 2019-’21 (49); 14. Jarrett Bush, 2006-’14 (137); 15. LaDarius Gunter, 2015-’17 (25); 16. Lenny McGill, 1994-’95 (21); 17. Vinnie Clark, 1991-’92 (32); 18. Quinten Rollins, 2015-’17 (33); 19. Mossy Cade, 1985-’86 (30); 20. Josh Jackson, 2018-’20 (42).

Overview: The first four are hard to separate; Tim Lewis might have been the best had his career not ended prematurely … Shields, an undrafted free agent, was rolling along with an A-minus (in 2015), four B’s and a C before suffering the fifth concussion of his career in the 2016 opener, which turned out to be his last appearance as a Packer. He had fabulous talent … Evans loved to play tight bump-and-run coverage. Improving each of his five seasons, he closed with two B-plus years in which his combined touchdown pass allowance was 1 1/2. One of his contributions to the ’96 title team was six interceptions … Tyrone Williams stepped in for the injured Craig Newsome in the 1997 opener and held the job until departing to Atlanta as an unrestricted free agent. In seven seasons he missed only one game. He loved the give-and-take of competition … Harris’ average of 6.71 was slightly below Williams’ 6.86. For a player lacking speed and quickness, Harris found ways to maximize his ability. It was all about getting his hands on wideouts … Starting every game from 1977-’82, McCoy offered reliability and intelligence. In Game 9 of 1983 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, he suffered a ruptured quadriceps when FB Pete Johnson fell on McCoy’s leg as he made the tackle. Attempting a comeback in July 1985, this time at free safety as the challenger to Tom Flynn, McCoy ruptured the same quad a second time during an individual drill in the first few days of training camp and never played again … Lewis, the 11th pick in 1983, picked off 16 passes in 3 ½ seasons. His career ended in October 1986 when he lowered his head into the head of Bears WR Willie Gault and suffered a contusion of the spinal cord … Cade, acquired for a first-round pick from the Chargers in September 1985, took over for Lewis and had an awful season. Cade’s career ended with his conviction by a Brown County jury of two counts of sexual assault … Minus Lewis and then Cade, VP Tom Braatz in late August 1987 traded an 11th-round choice to Seattle for Brown. A 13-year veteran, Brown started for three seasons, gave receivers a huge cushion because of his alarming shortage of speed and performed amazingly well. In 44 starts he never yielded a long TD pass … When injury prevented Brown from suiting up in 1990, Braatz plugged in 10-year vet Jerry Holmes, the longtime Jet with a style similar to Brown’s. The results, however, weren’t quite as good … One year before Buckley’s selection, Braatz took Clark at No. 19. After two D-plus seasons Clark was through in Green Bay … Mitchell, a Plan B signee, started for 1 ½ seasons in Clark’s stead before spinal surgery in 1994 ended his career … For three of his four seasons in Green Bay Hayward was the competent No. 3 corner behind Tramon Williams and Shields. His career really took off with the Chargers … Douglas was stunningly effective in 2021 after his career crashed in Philadelphia … King averaged a C-minus grade over five seasons. Eventually, he lost his job to Stokes … Sullivan was steady as they come in 2 ½ seasons as the nickel back … Bush kept working and working until he improved to B-minus status in 2013 … Believe it or not, Gunter was the club’s best corner in 2016 … Rollins and Jackson were second-round busts three years apart.

STRONG SAFETIES

First Team: LeRoy Butler, 1990-’01 (181).

Second Team: Mark Murphy, 1980-’91 (147).

Third Team: Morgan Burnett, 2010-’17 (102).

Others: 4. Adrian Amos, 2019-’21 (49); 5. Charlie Peprah, 2006-’08, 2010-‘11 (67); 6. Atari Bigby, 2005-’10 (46); 7. Steve Luke, 1975-’80 (90); 8. Tiger Greene, 1986-’90 (72); 9. Antuan Edwards, 1999-’03 (53); 10. Bhawoh Jue, 2001-’04 (51); 11. Marques Anderson, 2002-’03 (30); 12. Kentrell Brice, 2016-’18 (36); 13. Aaron Rouse, 2007-’09 (27); 14. Matt Bowen, 2001-’02 (21); 15. Marquand Manuel, 2006 (16); 16. Mark Roman, 2004-’05 (32); 17. Josh Jones, 2017-’18 (29).

Overview: A cornerback in his first two seasons (C-plus in 1991), Butler developed into one of the most complete safeties in NFL history. Instinctive. Run. Cover. Tackle. Blitz. Playmaker. Plus, he was as encompassing a leader as I saw in Green Bay … Murphy started at strong safety for eight seasons (he sat out 1986 with an ankle injury suffered in the first practice) before Butler succeeded him. Dick Modzelewski, the defensive coordinator, said Murphy was the team’s best defensive player in 1984. His calling card was swooping down into the box late, mixing it up with blockers and making tackles … After a relatively slow, injury-plagued first four years Burnett closed with four B seasons. He was never an A player; he was an understated leader who maxed out as a student of the game … Amos is almost a carbon copy of Burnett: professional, tough, consistent, mature, better near the line of scrimmage … After starting just one game in three seasons as a Packer and then spending 2009 in Atlanta, Peprah should be remembered for replacing an injured Burnett (ACL tear) from Game 5 on for the Super Bowl team of 2010. He started 15 more games in ’11 after Nick Collins went down … Bigby’s high-water mark was 2007 when he started every game for a 13-3 team and registered nine takeaways … A four-year starter, Luke liked whacking people every chance he had … Whether the task was playing strong safety, free safety or nickel, Greene gave it his all … Edwards was too slow for cornerback and too timid for strong safety. His highest grade was C-minus in 2000 and 2003 … In ’03, Edwards started 10 games when Anderson was exposed as a third-round fraud. Anderson missed 39 tackles in his two seasons … When Butler suffered his career-ending shoulder blade injury in November 2001 it was Jue, who hadn’t played safety since high school, that saved the season with a solid showing as his replacement… Brice and Jones were workout warriors but couldn’t play the game … Manuel and Roman were misses as stopgap starters.

FREE SAFETIES

First Team: Darren Sharper, 1997-’04 (121).

Second Team: Nick Collins, 2005-’11 (95).

Third Team: Eugene Robinson, 1996-’97 (32).

Others: 4. Chuck Cecil, 1988-’92 (66); 5. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, 2014-’18; (71); 6. Johnnie Gray, 1975-’83 (124); 7. Darnell Savage, 2019-’21 (46); 8. Kenny Stills, 1985-’89 (65); 9. George Teague, 1993-’95 (47); 10. Tom Flynn, 1984-’86 (38); 11. M.D. Jennings, 2011-’13 (47); 12. Maurice Harvey, 1981-’83 (29); 13. Tim Hauck, 1991-’94 (58); 14. Chris Banjo, 2013-’16 (37).

Overview: Neither Sharper nor Collins looked worthy of their second-round draft status during their first three seasons. Then their careers took off, with Sharper posting two A-minuses, a B-plus and a B in the next four years whereas Collins went A-minus, B-plus and B in his next three … Ron Wolf has called Sharper probably his best draft pick in Green Bay. He was a ballhawk extraordinaire, could be a heavy hitter, was keenly intelligent and showed the speed to cover wideouts from right outside corner as a rookie … Collins was even faster, and that speed paid off countless times when he raced across the field to catch opponents from behind … Collins’ career was ended by a cervical injury suffered in Game 2 of 2011. Sharper was a salary-cap casualty in March 2005 … Despite playing just two seasons Robinson’s impact on the ’96 title team was extraordinary. He ran the secondary, made eight interceptions, was a jarring tackler and brought even more leadership to a strong locker room. A year later, scouts still voted him the best free safety in the NFC Central … Cecil was hurt or a part-time player for three years before he closed his career in Green Bay with a pair of B-minus seasons. He punished running backs and receivers alike. Given his lack of speed and at times erratic performance, the Packers let him walk as a free agent in 1993 not long after he was voted to the Pro Bowl …  Stills played ahead of Cecil for two years. He was another fearless hitter with boundless enthusiasm for the game … An undrafted rookie in 1975, Gray was the starter at free safety from the first game of his rookie season 1980. Moved to strong safety the next year, he started for four more seasons. His career could be described as good hit, no cover … An ex-Bronco, Harvey replaced Gray in center field in 1981 and picked off six passes. He’ll be remembered as the player who was hit by a car in December 1981 as he crossed South Oneida Street with teammates after practice. He leaped, was flipped over the car and wound up on the pavement. His injuries were minor … Clinton-Dix, the 21st pick in 2014, went C, B-plus, B and D before being traded to Washington in mid-2018 for a fourth-round pick. His game fell apart after three seasons … Savage, drafted in the same slot five years after Clinton-Dix, went C-minus, C-plus and C-minus as a three-year starter. He hasn’t come close to meeting expectations for someone the Packers traded up to take … Teague was drafted at the bottom of the first round to replace Cecil, but after seasons of C, D-plus and D he was dealt to Buffalo in July 1996. The serious thyroid condition that he was diagnosed with in February 1994 undoubtedly hindered his development … Using uncommon anticipation and a measure of luck, Flynn picked off nine passes as a rookie. By mid-1986, he was on waivers … Jennings earned a C-minus starting 10 games in 2012 before his level of performance crashed in ’13 … Hauck and Banjo were heady hard hitters that hung around for four seasons largely because of their contributions in the kicking game.

Next: Special teams.

Subscribers, catch up on Bob McGinn’s exceptional series right here:

• The Packers' A players, 1991-2021… Learn what made Sterling Sharpe one of the game’s forgotten stars.

• The Packers’ A-minus players, 1991-2021… How did Donald Driver emerge out of nowhere?

• The Packers’ F players, 1991-2021… It hasn’t always been Jamal Reynolds and the busts

• The Packers’ A team grades, 1991-2021… Why the ‘96 group was an all-time team.

• The Packers’ A-minus team grades, 1991-2021… Oh, what could’ve been in 1997.

• The Packers’ F team grades, 1991-2021… Special teams have been a problem.

• The Packers' offensive career arcs… The careers of Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers in total context

• The Packers’ defensive/ST career arcs… Get a sense for how the players on defense progressed.

• The 1979-2021 All-Time Green Bay Packers offense… Favre or Rodgers? Green or Jones? Sharpe, Lofton, Adams?

• The 1979-2021 All-Time Green Bay Packers defense… We know Reggie White, LeRoy Butler and Charles Woodson were all-timers. Who else rounds out the squad?