Cornerback Is Biggest X-Factor Position for Packers in 2024

Entering every season there are position groups which are known quantities, and others which are question marks. The Green Bay Packers have plenty of areas to feel confident in, especially on the offensive side of the ball. 

But among the positions on the roster which can be marked as ‘TBD’, it feels like none will have a greater impact on the overall success of the 2024 Packers than cornerback.

After Green Bay left the draft without spending a pick at the position until round seven, cornerback naturally became the focus of Packers’ fans concerns when evaluating the state of the roster.

Though the apprehension is justified over the worst-case scenario, in which the Packers cannot find consistency at corner, and are bombarded through the air on a weekly basis, there is another side to the coin.

There is a wealth of somewhat untapped talent in Green Bay’s cornerback room, and the competition which has been created could bring out the best in each player, much like the wide receiver group of 2023.

Jaire Alexander is the leader of the pack, and him returning to the All-Pro form he showed in 2020 and 2022 would go a long way to improving the overall fortune of the cornerback position.

After an underwhelming, and at times bizarre 2023 season, all indications are that Alexander is fully bought into the scheme and style new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has brought to Green Bay. The Packers need the real Jaire Alexander back if the defense is to reach its potential.

The battle for the number two cornerback spot will be a thrilling watch in training camp and pre-season, with Eric Stokes and Carrington Valentine the current frontrunners.

Stokes has endured an horrific two years with various injuries, but will be looking to finally put those woes behind him and remind everyone why he was a first-round pick as he enters a contract year.

As a rookie, the talent was clear to see. It was just so long ago that it is fair for fans and outside observers to wonder what the 2024 version of Stokes will look like. Inside the building though, the Packers appear bullish on the 25-year-old.

Speaking to the assembled Green Bay media recently, Matt LaFleur said of Stokes: “I think he’s as good as I’ve ever seen him, both mentally and on the field. I want to temper expectations, but I really mean that.

LaFleur added that Stokes “looks fully healthy” and has been doing “a great job” of challenging Green Bay’s receivers.

Competing with Stokes for the starting place alongside Alexander is Valentine, who like Stokes back in 2021, showed real promise as a rookie, while also taking some lumps.

The Packers asked Valentine to put on some bulk this offseason, and he delivered. Passing coordinator Derrick Ansley said the corner “looks a lot different than last year, in a good way”.

This extra poundage should aid Valentine’s combative style of coverage, as should the switch to Hafley’s aggressive defense, pivoting from Joe Barry’s more passive approach.

Valentine was one of the hottest topics at OTAs and minicamp, with the coaching staff gushing about him at every opportunity. LaFleur said the former seventh-round pick has “a really bright future”, and he may already have the upper hand in the fight for playing time.

In the slot, Keisean Nixon will be the unquestioned starter entering week one as long as he is healthy, as the Packers doubled down on their corner/kick returner by inking him to a three-year, $18 million contract this offseason.

Nixon’s performance on defense has divided opinion, but Green Bay had the chance to cut bait with him after last season, especially with a new defensive coordinator entering the fray.

But clearly the Packers, and Hafley, believe he can succeed in the slot going forward after taking on a full time role for the first time in his career in 2023.

Down the line, he may face competition from Kalen King, this year’s Valentine i.e. a seventh-round rookie who was expected to be drafted much earlier. He could be a natural fit in the slot, lacking the long speed to survive outside.

Whether the Packers are getting the 2022 or 2023 version of the former Penn State corner remains to be seen, but if King can make some noise during the summer, he could provide Green Bay with another viable starter and make the depth at corner seem much healthier.

Do not forget about Corey Ballentine, either, who filled in admirably when asked last season and has shown himself to be trustworthy of starting games if required.

Cornerback is the biggest mystery box on Green Bay’s roster right now, and how well or poorly the group plays will have a huge impact on Green Bay’s 2024 Super Bowl hopes, one way or the other. It is very early, but the position appears to be trending in the right direction.