CB Davon House Returns to Packers on One-Year Deal

The Packers have reportedly agreed to a one year contract with free agent cornerback Davon House.

The 2011 fourth round pick rejoins the Packers after two years in Jacksonville. He signed a four-year, $25 million contract with the Jaguars in 2015.

How Davon House helps the Packers in 2017

The Packers desperately need depth at cornerback. Damarious Randall and Quinten Rollins regressed tremendously in 2016, and Sam Shields may never play football again. House’s merits as a top tier corner notwithstanding, the Packers simply need competent bodies to throw into the mix in the secondary. House should at least be that.

House provides excellent size (6-0, 188 pounds) and speed (4.41 in the 40-yard dash at the Combine). He’s used that speed to the Packers’ benefit in the secondary and on special teams, where it’s easy to see him contributing again.

Don’t get too excited about House’s return to Green Bay

Though he’s a bigger, fast corner, there’s a reason that House is available as a free agent. The reason is because House has not been great in Jacksonville.

House was all but benched after a disastrous start to his 2016 season, including an embarrassing outing against his former team in the season opener. Here’s how quarterbacks fared against House in the first month of the 2016 season.

  • Week 1, Aaron Rodgers: 4-4, 43 yards, 1 touchdown
  • Week 2, Philip Rivers: 4-5, 67 yards, 2 touchdowns
  • Week 3, Joe Flacco: 6-7, 70 yards, 1 penalty
  • Week 4, Andrew Luck: 1-1, 6 yards, 2 penalties

House didn’t translate his great physical gifts into consistent coverage for the Packers in the past, either. Plays like this were not an unfamiliar site in Green Bay:

The bottom line on House returning to Green Bay

House should not be counted upon to fix the secondary. This signing is about depth, and if House is the same player (or even relatively similar) he was when he last played for the Packers, he’ll be a decent, affordable addition to the secondary.