Hayward confirmed via text Sunday afternoon he will sign a three-year contract with the San Diego Chargers.
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A second-round selection by the Packers in the 2012 NFL Draft, Hayward spent his first four seasons in Green Bay on his rookie deal before testing the open market this offseason.
Hayward will come in and be an immediate replacement for free agent cornerback Patrick Robinson, who should leave in free agency.
Hayward was especially effective covering receivers in the slot. Injuries limited Hayward to just 19 games, two of them starts, over the next two seasons. But the Cowboys never made a serious play for Hayward and weren’t in on the cornerback during the negotiation process.
Hayward was also reportedly negotiating with San Francisco and Kansas City, but the Chargers won the bidding war. As noted by Bleacher Report, he will most likely fit in well with the team given his versatility.
Hayward and Verrett will be solid corners for the team.
His 933 snaps were more than any Packers cornerback last season, and third most on the defense behind safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and linebacker Clay Matthews.
The additions last season of Damarious Randall and Quinten Rollins have the Packers well-stocked on the outside along with starter Sam Shields.
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“I like our young guys, especially our young guys in the secondary”, Dom Capers, the defensive coordinator of the Packers said in a statement.
