Packers: Big opportunity for Josh Jones after Jermaine Whitehead cut

Josh Jones has an excellent opportunity to take on a bigger role in the Green Bay Packers defense.

In a somewhat shocking move on Tuesday, Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst released safety Jermaine Whitehead, presenting a golden opportunity to 2017 second-round pick Josh Jones.

This move comes a week after Gutekunst traded running back Ty Montgomery following his disastrous fourth-quarter fumble, as well as dealing safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. It’s not identical, but bears some similarities to the situation with the Montgomery trade.

Whitehead was ejected in the second quarter on Sunday night after slapping a Patriot in the helmet after the play was over. Most felt the call was a bit of an overreaction.

Whitehead was an important part of Mike Pettine’s plan to slow down the Patriots’ offense, though he wasn’t particularly effective in the first half. He had become a regular contributor, playing 41.7 percent of defensive snaps on the season overall (including 96.2 percent against the Los Angeles Rams).

Just as with Montgomery, though, the jettisoning of Whitehead will open the door for a younger, more talented player. That would be Josh Jones.

Jones has had a frustrating career so far. Ted Thompson drafted him in the second round out of North Carolina State in 2017 as a raw, yet supremely talented safety. His measurables are outstanding.

Jones had a phenomenal game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3 of his rookie season as Dom Capers’ nitro linebacker, registering 11 tackles and two sacks. He was more explosive than any Packers linebacker, and stronger at the point of attack than any defensive back.

Though Jones continued to play extensively afterwards, he was never able to replicate that performance. And this year, even after the departure of strong safety Morgan Burnett and Clinton-Dix, it took injuries to Whitehead and Kentrell Brice for him to really see the field.

Gutekunst clearly did not see Whitehead as a long-term answer at strong safety or dime linebacker. That’s a completely fair assessment. So, he’s essentially forced Mike Pettine to give Jones an opportunity to show his worth.

That perhaps isn’t surprising, given what the former North Carolina native told Mike McCarthy before the 2017 draft, according to Jason Wilde:

"“I remember seeing (film of) Josh Jones playing back in November. And Brian Gutekunst saying, ‘Hey, you’ve got to take a look at this guy,’ ” McCarthy recalled of Jones. “So he was a favorite player of mine in the draft class long before we even went to the combine (in February).”"

Pettine is likely to keep Kentrell Brice and Tramon Williams at safety for now, assuming both stay healthy.  If they are to miss any time, though, Jones would hopefully get the call in favor of Bashaud Breeland or recently claimed Ibraheim Campbell.

That would give him an opportunity to prove that he really does have the defensive understanding and coverage instincts to survive on the defense’s back end.

Right now, though, Jones will play as a dime linebacker. He’s best suited being as close to the line of scrimmage as possible, and Pettine should enjoy his capability as a blitzer.

But can Jones diagnose plays and fill the proper holes in run defense? Can he stay disciplined against play-action? Does he have the quick hips and feet to defend tight ends one-on-one in the passing game?

He’s probably further ahead than rookie linebacker Oren Burks right now, but Jones undoubtedly needs to make serious progress in the second half of this season to answer those questions.

Gutekunst has opened the door for Jones to play in the second half of the season. Where and how Jones plays, though, will play a big part in determining Gutekunst’s 2019 offseason priority list.