Packers 2017 Recap: CB Herb Waters
There’s a door in your elementary school that you were never allowed to go inside. The suspense about what could possibly be behind the door and in the closet captured you and your friends during recess. If only, you sighed, I could catch a glimpse of what’s there.
Chances are that behind the door lies a collection of paper towel rolls, cleaning supplies and some extra classroom supplies. It doesn’t matter what’s behind the door, though, what matters and what’s fascinating is the suspense of wondering what’s behind the door.
First a wide receiver and now a cornerback, Herb Waters is like that locked closet.
2017 Stats
- Placed on injured reserve in August
Expectations going into the season: Low
Expectations were: Not Met
Analysis: Lost season for cornerbacks prospect Herb Waters
The 2017 season ended in August for Herb Waters with a shoulder injury. Originally signed as an undrafted free agent to play wide receiver in 2016, Waters found his way on the practice squad as a rookie.
Injuries ravaged the secondary in 2016, and cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt Jr. pulled Waters aside during practice following Sam Shields’ career-ending concussion in Week 1. Whitt began teaching Waters the fundamentals of the cornerback position, and he spent the remainder of the season as a defender.
What did Whitt, now the Packers’ pass game coordinator, see in Waters?
"I don't necessarily look at anything other than skill sets," Whitt said, "and he has the skill set that I like. He has long arms, he can bend, he has good balance, he has the height. And so now can we work those skill sets into playing defensive back. That's my challenge and I'm excited to work with him."
Because the position change occurred during the season when practices are closed to the public, fans never saw Waters as a cornerback in training camp or preseason. By the time 2017’s training camp began, the shoulder injury shelved Waters.
