Packers are instead counting on the development of several young players

Rather than make major personnel changes on defense after last season's 579-yard playoff debacle against the San Francisco 49ers, the Green Bay Packers are instead counting on the development of several young players whose efforts in 2012 were incomplete at best. Atop that list is linebacker Nick Perry, who was a part-time player in the first six games of his rookie season before missing the rest because of knee and wrist injuries.

As a result, Perry was on my list of players to inquire about earlier this month at Packers minicamp. The bad news was that he was still wearing a brace on his left wrist, which he had surgery on last November. But he was participating throughout minicamp and coach Mike McCarthy said he is expected to be at full strength by the start of training camp.

Outside linebackers coach Kevin Greene, who last year detailed for us the long road Perry had in front of him as he transitioned from defensive end, rained effusive praise when asked about his development.

"He looks different," Greene said. "He moves different to me. He moves with more sense of urgency and purpose. His eyes are different. His gaze is different. I can just look at his face and look at in his eyes and know he's not happy with what transpired last year and he's determined not to let that happen again this year."

Perry played only 198 snaps in six games before his injuries, a modest average of about 33 (or roughly half) per game. But in looking back to that relatively short stint, Greene said he felt confident Perry had made progress -- most notably in the unfamiliar realm of pass coverage.

Greene pointed to the Week 5 game against the Indianapolis Colts as evidence. Perry, of course, had one sack in that game and lost another due to penalty. But what caught Greene's eye was an effort in pass defense against Colts receiver Reggie Wayne.

"He carried Reggie Wayne vertical up the field in a Cover 2 concept and it was as good as I can coach it," Greene said. "He carries an All-Pro vertical up the seam in a hip-trail position. That tells me: You know what, he can do everything coverage-wise. He progressed during his time last year as a player."

Proficiency in pass coverage will keep Perry on the field in 2013. But his pass rush and speed on the edge are why the Packers drafted him last season and how he can best help them address the issues that surfaced in the playoffs. Greene sees them as all part of a larger picture.

"This position takes a little time to settle into," he said. "It's hard to come out of the gate at this position because there's so much involved with the eyes. Nick is going to get better with more time on the job. That's the bottom line. He's got to be in the cleats. Smelling the grass. Having fun. Opening his eyes. Making good plays. Building confidence. And that's just the natural progression of a player."

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Williams gives Bills safety in numbers

Bills cornerback Aaron Williams had reservations when new defensive coordinator Mike Pettine first outlined the plan to switch him to safety.

After two inconsistent seasons in Buffalo during which Williams struggled to secure a starting job, he initially wondered whether the position change was a reflection of his performance. Williams' second concern was how quickly he could pick up the new role and its expanded responsibilities of calling plays and making on-field adjustments.

``Oh, man, at first, I was like a chicken with a cut-off head,'' Williams said. ``But I never back off any challenge. You're put in the fire, just roll with it.''

As it turns out, the new job just might be a more natural fit for Williams, who is providing the Bills safety in numbers filling the starting spot left open by Jairus Byrd's offseason-long absence.

Though Buffalo retained Byrd's rights by designating him their franchise player in March, the two-time Pro Bowl player has yet to sign the team's one-year contract offer while attempting to negotiate a long-term deal.

Williams has shown signs of being a capable Plan B during spring practices, which concluded Thursday with the end of a three-day mandatory minicamp.

He had an interception in each of the three practices, capped by Williams under-cutting a route to pick off rookie EJ Manuel in the end zone.

``Yeah, that's what they're expecting me to do,'' Williams said. ``It's me being consistent, making plays every day, not just every once in a while. So I'm changing my attitude toward this year, and looking for a better season.''

Williams endured what he called ``ups and downs'' since Buffalo selected him out of Texas in the second round of the 2011 draft.

He had a promising rookie season, in which he had an interception and forced fumble in starting six of nine games. Williams did miss five games because of a chest injury.

He took a step back last year, despite starting 10 of 11 games. Struggling in coverage, he finished with no interceptions, was credited with just seven passes defended, and missed five games after hurting his right knee.

``I think it was one of those years that tested my character: how I handle bad situations; how I handle adversity,'' Williams said. ``I know what it feels like to be on the upside and also the downside. I've pretty much matured and became a veteran player, I can say.''

Pettine has faith in Williams, and said the positional switch had nothing to do with performance or Byrd's absence.

``It's a move we were going to make,'' Pettine said.

In his previous stint as the New York Jets defensive coordinator, Pettine had Williams listed as a safety coming out of college. He also noted that Williams' 6-foot, 200-pound frame combined with his sideline-to-sideline range is better suited for the defense he's installing in Buffalo.

``If you can have a safety that has corner skills, that to me is ideal,'' Pettine said, noting the NFL is trending toward more of a passing than running style of offense. ``I would sacrifice the ability to be a `box player,' a thicker guy and a thumper type: I'd sacrifice that for the cover skills any day.''

He's pleased with how quickly Williams has picked up the new position: ``I'd say he's ahead of schedule.'' And Pettine noted Williams can now fill two roles - safety and cornerback - in a defense that demands versatility from its players.

The Bills' defensive backfield is young and unsettled, especially minus Byrd, a four-year starter. Cornerback Stephon Gilmore, the team's 2011 first-round pick, is the only other returning starter.

Williams isn't sure how his role might change once Byrd arrives.

``Really, to be honest with you, that's above my pay scale,'' he said.

He's instead relying on the advice former teammate George Wilson provided this offseason, when Williams expressed concerns about switching roles.

``He said, `It's something you can't be concerned about. Focus on what your responsibilities are,''' Williams said, referring to Wilson, who signed with Tennessee after being cut by the Bills.

``I thoroughly thought about that,'' Williams said. ``I can't really help that they want me at safety. That's where they felt like the team needed me.''

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Keller was Sanchez's security blanket

The New York Jets' decision to draft Geno Smith was the clearest sign that the team had lost faith in -- and was prepared to move on from -- quarterback Mark Sanchez.

Letting tight end Dustin Keller walk out the door was a less publicized (but perhaps equally clear) sign. Keller was Sanchez's security blanket, arguably the only receiver Sanchez ever showed legitimate chemistry with in four years.

Keller eventually signed a one-year contract with the Miami Dolphins, and on Sunday, he discussed how the Jets' moves to bring in Smith and Tim Tebow affected his former teammate.

"I think he doesn't like the fact those moves were made," Keller said of Sanchez on Sirius XM NFL Radio on Sunday. "I don't think those were things that made him happy. Could it possibly have been something that pushed him? Maybe, I'm not quite sure. But it definitely lit a fire underneath him. I've talked to him a couple of times this offseason and he's been working. So, I think you can expect some good things from him."

Keller also explained his feelings on the media spotlight in Gotham.

"There's always some type of nonsense going on. When you're in the New York media, you don't say that you're used to all of that; there's always going to be distractions," he said. "But this is really more so than anywhere else. You're really talking about a team -- we didn't even go to the playoffs the year before -- and it seemed like we're in the media more than anyone else, and for the wrong reasons. You never want that.
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"Could it have anything to do with the season, kinda things falling apart? I really don't know. When you're in that market, it just has to be something you're ready to deal with."

The Jets had many problems in 2012, but chief among them was a low baseline of talent that couldn't make up for injuries and continued regression by the quarterback.

Keller says we can expect a rebound from Sanchez, but you wonder if Keller actually thinks his old mate needs to get out of town and start over.

It's not a bad idea.