Brian Gutekunst is optimistic about the Packers’ cornerback room—but should he be?

The play of the Packers’ corners last season produced some interesting storylines,

but it won’t necessarily carry over into 2024.

Green Bay, Wisconsin — While you might not share Brian Gutekunst’s optimism on the Green Bay Packers’ cornerbacks,

he certainly does.

All-Pro return guy Keisean Nixon was just re-signed by the Packers, and unless something goes wrong,

they anticipate that he will be the team’s full-time starting nickelback in defense next season.

They had Carrington Valentine, a seventh-round selection in the previous spring draft who,

like Ballentine, was thrown to the wolves when the Packers traded Rasul Douglas

to the Buffalo Bills despite having a fantastic rookie campaign.

The Packers also have two first-round picks leading the depth chart in Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes,

if that isn’t enough reason to give them some peace of mind.

Nixon gave up slightly under 78 percent of the passes made by opposing

quarterbacks to him in his first season of starting only in the slot, according to Pro Football Focus.

Nine out of the 17 games the Packers played saw him give up a passing rating of 100.0 or higher,

along with two touchdowns. Gutekunst understands how much

was expected of Nixon and the significance of the nickelback position in general.

It’s not easy to master one of the most challenging positions on the defense, and the Packers are giving Nixon a bit more leeway.

During the NFL owners’ meetings this week in Orlando, Florida, Gutekunst stated,

“I think the nickel position has become more and more important in our league.

He can not only cover but also play against the run and take away the ball instinctively.

That specific stance, in my opinion, has grown increasingly valuable.”

The Packers shouldn’t expect Ballentine to start in the secondary this upcoming season,

assuming all goes according to plan. Ballentine is one of the Packers’ best special teams players,

even though he went above and above last season when asked to,

recording four pass breakups and allowing a completion percentage

of less than sixty percent.

is primarily a depth cornerback at this stage in his career.

Valentine, who may have done more than enough to establish himself as a future mainstay in the secondary,

started opposite Ballentine on several occasions during the previous season.

“He is still developing as a football player, but he played very consistently for us,

Gutekunst remarked. He has to gain some strength,

and I believe he will. He answered the phone frequently in the roles we gave him this past season,

even in ones where we had to give him short notice.”

Not counting the two postseason games, Valentine started 12 games in his rookie campaign for the Packers.

Just 55.6% of the passes made by opposing quarterbacks into his coverage were completed,

and five of those passes were intercepted. Valentine weighed 189 pounds,

but his top agility was evident, and he possessed All-Pro ball skills.

You don’t see many seventh-round guys with the kind of competition that he displayed.

But there’s always the chance of a sophomore slump, which might sometimes be inevitable.

Even if Valentine was excellent, the Packers should approach cautiously.

They can take a cue from what they personally saw with Stokes, who saw a sharp decline in his second campaign.

The potential to be a quick cornerback who thrived in man coverage existed in Stokes, a No. 29 overall pick in 2021,

but he was not able to repeat that kind of performance the following season.

Stokes allowed an 84 completion % on the nose over the first eight games of the regular season,

which included a 125.8 passer rating. Prior to a major foot and knee

injury that ended Stokes’ season on November 6 against the Detroit Lions, he was a total liability in the Packers’ secondary.

His hamstring ailment, which would recur throughout the season,

put him on the physically unable to perform list at the beginning of the regular season.

In an Oct. 22 game against the Denver Broncos, he made his season debut.

After making two appearances in a brief return effort later in the season,

he was placed back on injured reserve for the second consecutive season due to the same hamstring ailment.

Stokes is without a doubt the team’s wild card, and it’s unknown how much,

if any, of a step he lost following such a catastrophic string of injuries.

The Packers might not be in that bad of trouble at cornerback after

all if he can go back to his previous level of play, or at the very least stay upright.

of fact, his presence may completely alter the atmosphere of the space.

“If we can stay healthy there, I like the way the competition in that room is shaping up,” said Gutekunst.

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