Do the Packers have a cornerback problem?
Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander.
The Green Bay Packers may be one of the most exciting teams to watch in 2024. Jordan Love and his group of pass catchers are entering their second season of playing together. While their first season got off to a bumpy start, they led Green Bay to a 7-3 record over its final 10 games and a spot in the playoffs. The team added 2022 NFL rushing leader Josh Jacobs and released Aaron Jones.
Defensively, the Packers fired embattled defensive coordinator Joe Barry after three frustrating seasons. Head coach Matt LaFleur hired Jeff Hafley from Boston College to replace Barry. Xavier McKinney was signed in free agency, and general manager Brian Gutekunst drafted two linebackers and three safeties to add youth and flexibility to the defense.
However, Maurice Moton of Bleacher Report feels that one position is a glaring weakness, and he is not quiet about Gutekunst’s perceived failure to address it.
Many fans and analysts predicted Green Bay would use their first-round pick on Iowa cornerback Cooper DeJean. However, Gutekunst and the Packers selected offensive tackle Jordan Morgan with their first overall selection, the first of three offensive linemen they would take.
Additionally, Gutekunst drafted three safeties, the most notable of which is Georgia’s Javon Bullard, who was taken in the second round.
In a recent article, Moton took veiled shots at the Packers’ cornerback room and wrote: “Gutekunst should’ve addressed the cornerback position much earlier than he did in the 2024 draft.”
His reasoning includes that Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes were limited by injuries last season. He also suggests that Corey Ballentine, who had an 81.2 passer rating when targeted, an interception, and seven pass breakups, is not a good insurance policy (even though he proved to be last season).
Moton claims, “If the Packers lose Alexander or Stokes for an extended period, they may need a more impactful replacement in the secondary.”
Green Bay did take Penn State’s Kalen King in the seventh round, but Moton was unimpressed with that move.
As Moton notes in his article, “Though Alexander and Stokes played only 10 games last season, Green Bay still ranked within the top 10 in passing yards and touchdowns allowed.”
Even that 10 games played total stat is misleading because Stokes only played 110 snaps on defense, which was less than 60% of the defensive snaps in games he was healthy.
In other words, the Packers’ backup cornerbacks did an even better job than many give them credit for. After all, they were a top-10 passing defense.
Moton’s stats on Ballentine are misleading as well. While he played more on defense last year than any other season of his career (he is typically a special teams player), he still only played 55% of the defense’s snaps in the games in which he was active.
The real snub in the article was the absence of Carrington Valentine, a seventh-round pick in 2023 who started 12 games for the Packers last season. In a rookie campaign that saw him play the second-most snaps of any cornerback on the roster (only behind Keisean Nixon), he allowed a 57.6% completion percentage, 84.8 passer rating when targeted, and had nine passes broken up.
While the team was missing their two stars, the younger corners stepped up in a big way. There is no need to wonder what would happen if either Alexander or Stokes missed time because they both missed time last year. Everyone saw what would happen. They still were a top-10 passing defense.
In 2020, Alexander was a second-team All-Pro and a Pro Bowl selection. The following year, he injured his shoulder and missed 12 games. In 2022, Alexander was again a second-team All-Pro and a Pro Bowl selection. Last season, he battled injuries and was suspended for a game. In total, he missed 10 contests.
Based on this pattern, Alexander is in for a monster year in 2024.
However, it is not just the coincidence of his last four years being alternately good and then riddled with injuries that give optimism about his having a good season in 2024. Unlike last season, when he skipped organized team activities, he has been in Green Bay all offseason and is already working with coaches and teammates.
The Alexander fans will see in 2024 will be incredibly different from the one in 2023, which is exciting.
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