It’s always amazing how fast things change in the NFL.
The offensive line of the Green Bay Packers? A perceived strength entering the season collapsed into arguably the team’s biggest liability over the last month.
The cornerback group? A foundational position on defense to start the 2023 season, cornerback is now one of the team’s biggest question marks after trading away Rasul Douglas on Tuesday.
What’s left at cornerback?
Jaire Alexander, a two-time All-Pro who is battling through a lingering back injury and coming off a performance in which he gave up multiple catches and a touchdown to rookie Jordan Addison.
Keisean Nixon, the defense’s primary slot corner who has struggled in coverage. Among cornerbacks, he’s allowed the fifth-most receptions covering the slot (23) and has the sixth-most missed tackles (8).
Eric Stokes, a 2021 first-round pick who began the year on the PUP list and played four snaps in Denver before injuring his hamstring and landing on injured reserve. He must miss at least three more games. Stokes suffered a significant foot injury in early November of last year.
Carrington Valentine, a rookie seventh-round pick who has played 139 career snaps.
Corey Ballentine, who was signed off the practice squad last week.
Robert Rochell, who was signed off the Carolina Panthers practice squad last week.
Alexander is having a disappointing season. Nixon is playing on a one-year deal. It’s unclear if Stokes will ever be the same after injury. Valentine is a project. Ballentine and Rochell are bottom-of-the-roster types who have bounced around the NFL in recent years.
Douglas was signed in Green Bay through 2024, but now he’ll be in Buffalo. The Packers traded away a valuable player at a premium position to help build for the future, but Douglas’ departure now leaves behind a lot of question marks at cornerback both in the present and near future.
