Green Bay Packers beat writer Paul Imig will be analyzing the 25 most important players to the Packers' success in the 2013 season. Check back each day to see the latest player on the list. Note: This is not a list of the team's 25 best players or a series about past success, but rather which of them means the most to how Green Bay will fare this year. Criteria such as depth at that player's position, general expectations and overall importance of that player having a good season are all highly considered. 24 / Second NFL season When it was determined that the neck injury suffered by Nick Collins was serious enough for the Packers to release the three-time Pro Bowler at age 28, Green Bay's front office had to quickly go to Plan B. That plan had the Packers draft McMillian in the fourth round in 2012, just days after releasing Collins. General manager Ted Thompson thought that safety wasn't going to be a need position for a long time with the pairing of Collins and a young-and-improving Morgan Burnett. It put a lot of pressure on McMillian, who came out of a small college (Maine) with a reputation of being a big hitter. Last season, he proved to be a physical force on defense, but he struggled in pass coverage and lost nearly all of his snaps to M.D. Jennings by the end of the year. With a lack of depth at safety, McMillian is No. 23 because he needs to have a good year. The Packers are counting on him to be a consistent presence sooner than later. Coach Mike McCarthy often talks about players taking a big jump from Year 1 to Year 2, and McMillian will need to prove to be one of those players who successfully does that. McMillian could share this No. 23 ranking with Jennings, but there are greater expectations on McMillian given where he was drafted, which is why he's at this spot alone. Fourth-round picks like McMillian are expected to become starters, especially when there isn't a proven veteran in their way. Given Green Bay's situation without Collins, as well as the team's decision to release cornerback-turned-safety Charles Woodson in February, the only obstacle for McMillian to overcome is beating out Jennings (a 2011 undrafted signee). Between Weeks 2-5 last season, McMillian played more than 75 percent of the snaps. And that was with Woodson healthy. McCarthy praised McMillian at that time for being one of the team's rookies who was really stepping up and performing. Then, it all changed. McMillian was getting exposed in coverage and defensive coordinator Dom Capers opted to give a lot of those snaps to Jennings. In the Packers' two playoff games, McMillian played a total of five snaps. Just five. If healthy, the expectation for McMillian in 2013 is starting nearly all of the 16 games. He'll need to show an improvement in coverage while also being the intimidating force in the secondary that Green Bay drafted him to be. McMillian doesn't need a lot of interceptions to prove his worth, but he needs to be on the field to help ease the loss of Collins and to live up to his draft position. Next to McMillian on the depth chart is Jennings. They're the two players who will be competing for the starting spot next to Burnett. That gives some breathing room for the Packers if McMillian doesn't take the big Year 1 to Year 2 jump, because Jennings has shown to be a capable -- albeit a bit undersized -- starter. Along with outside linebacker, safety is one of Green Bay's thinnest positions. Sean Richardson (a 2012 undrafted free agent signing who made the team as a rookie) underwent successful offseason neck surgery, and while he believes he'll make a full recovery in time for training camp, the Packers will have to be cautious given their recent experience with Collins' neck injury. The only other safeties on the roster are Chaz Powell (who originally signed to the practice squad in December 2012) and David Fulton (an undrafted rookie who signed with Green Bay in May 2013). That is not a lot of options and shows why the Packers need McMillian to perform at a high level in the 2013 season.
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