Former Green Bay Packers executive Jon-Eric Sullivan regrets allowing versatile talent Micah Hyde to leave Green Bay, calling it a significant organizational misstep.
Jon-Eric Sullivan is now the general manager of the Miami Dolphins. He, alongside new head coach Jeff Hafley, has a mandate to try to turn around a franchise that has had only six playoff appearances in the past 26 years.
Both men are in a new situation, but that's especailly true for Sullivan, who spent the past 20-plus years of his professional life with the Green Bay Packers.
He started in Green Bay as an operations assistant in 2004 and was a scout by 2008. His last position in Green Bay was as vice president of player personnel, and then he got the promotion to go down to Miami with Hafley.
Sullivan saw a ton of things happen while in the Green Bay front office, both good and bad, so it's interesting to hear that he believes the biggest player mistake Green Bay made was regarding safety Micah Hyde.
He was asked who he felt was the most underrated player from his time in Green Bay.
"I think anybody who was involved in this would tell you we screwed it up...Micah Hyde," Sullivan said. "We should have never let Micah Hyde out the door."
Hyde was selected by the Packers in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL Draft out of Iowa. He started his career as a backup cornerback behind players like Sam Shields and Tramon Williams, and by midseason, he was the first-team nickelback and punt returner.
As a rookie, he returned a punt 93 yards for a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings. He transitioned to safety in 2014 but remained a stellar punt returner, housing two for a touchdown in his second NFL season.
Hyde was a "jack of all trades" for the Packers, but for some reason, then-general manager Ted Thompson declined to make him a contract offer when he became an unrestricted free agent after the 2016 season.
Hyde signed a five-year, $30.50 million contract with the Buffalo Bills, and he played out the last seven seasons of his career in Buffalo. He came a two-time second-team All-Pro with the Bills as well as a Pro Bowler.
"He was a really good football player," Sullivan reminisced. "He could line up in a bunch of different spots. Could return punts. We let him go in free agency. I don't think I'm saying anything that anybody else who was involved in that wouldn't say, 'You know what, we probably screwed that up.' Micah is a good ball player."
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