The Packers traded Damarious Randall for DeShone Kizer on Friday, and it's a move that's a little bit surprising. Randall was arguably the best of a poor group of cornerbacks in Green Bay, while Kizer won't see the field in Green Bay if Aaron Rodgers stays healthy. So what was Green Bay's thinking?
Part of it is that Randall might have annoyed the Green Bay coaching staff with his talk last year. He had been benched at one point during the season, and then after seeming to call out the coaching staff after a late-season loss, Mike McCarthy said that Randall "needs to focus on himself. He’s got to clean his own house." So maybe it was mostly off-field issues rather than on-field play.
Maybe Green Bay just wanted a better backup quarterback than Brett Hundley. In the two seasons that Aaron Rodgers has missed substantial time (2013 and 2017), Hundley, Scott Tolzien and Matt Flynn combined to go 5-12-1. But considering Kizer just started most of the season for an 0-16 team, it's hardly a given that he'll make a difference there.
What Kizer does bring to the table is a significant running dimension. He rushed for nearly 28 yards per game last season, 5th among quarterbacks. In that, he's a lot like Hundley (who was 6th, at 25 yards per game).
| QB RUSHING, 2017 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Lng | Y/A | Y/G |
| Cam Newton, Car. | 139 | 754 | 6 | 69 | 5.4 | 47.1 |
| Deshaun Watson, Hou. | 36 | 269 | 2 | 49 | 7.5 | 38.4 |
| Russell Wilson, Sea. | 95 | 586 | 3 | 31 | 6.2 | 36.6 |
| Tyrod Taylor, Buff. | 84 | 427 | 4 | 32 | 5.1 | 28.5 |
| DeShone Kizer, Clev. | 77 | 419 | 5 | 20 | 5.4 | 27.9 |
| Brett Hundley, G.B. | 36 | 270 | 2 | 24 | 7.5 | 24.5 |
| Alex Smith, K.C. | 60 | 355 | 1 | 70 | 5.9 | 23.7 |
| Carson Wentz, Phil. | 64 | 299 | 0 | 24 | 4.7 | 23.0 |
| Dak Prescott, Dall. | 57 | 357 | 6 | 21 | 6.3 | 22.3 |
| Marcus Mariota, Tenn. | 60 | 312 | 5 | 34 | 5.2 | 20.8 |
| Mitch Trubisky, Chic. | 41 | 248 | 2 | 46 | 6.0 | 20.7 |
| Blake Bortles, Jac. | 57 | 322 | 2 | 28 | 5.6 | 20.1 |
| C.J. Beathard, S.F. | 26 | 136 | 3 | 16 | 5.2 | 19.4 |
| Aaron Rodgers, G.B. | 24 | 126 | 0 | 18 | 5.3 | 18.0 |
| Kevin Hogan, Clev. | 10 | 71 | 0 | 11 | 7.1 | 17.8 |
| Blaine Gabbert, Ariz. | 23 | 82 | 0 | 12 | 3.6 | 16.4 |
| Jacoby Brissett, Ind. | 63 | 260 | 4 | 25 | 4.1 | 16.3 |
| Paxton Lynch, Den. | 5 | 30 | 0 | 11 | 6.0 | 15.0 |
| Bryce Petty, NYJ | 7 | 55 | 0 | 24 | 7.9 | 13.8 |
| T.J. Yates, Hou. | 5 | 51 | 0 | 15 | 10.2 | 12.8 |
| Ryan Fitzpatrick, T.B. | 16 | 76 | 0 | 15 | 4.8 | 12.7 |
| Trevor Siemian, Den. | 31 | 127 | 1 | 15 | 4.1 | 11.5 |
| Kirk Cousins, Wash. | 49 | 179 | 4 | 18 | 3.7 | 11.2 |
| Case Keenum, Minn. | 40 | 160 | 1 | 22 | 4.0 | 10.7 |
| Brock Osweiler, Den. | 14 | 64 | 1 | 18 | 4.6 | 10.7 |
| Jameis Winston, T.B. | 33 | 135 | 1 | 17 | 4.1 | 10.4 |
| Patrick Mahomes, K.C. | 7 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 1.4 | 10.0 |
The linked story indicates the Packers considered drafting Kizer in the second round a year ago. Hard to believe. But they evidently like him, and must have really soured on Randall (their first-rounder in 2015). Regardless, kind of an unusual deal.
--Andy Richardson