Packers 2022 post-draft position review: Cornerbacks
The Green Bay Packers enter 2022 with one of the best defenses in the league.
A big reason for that is the talent in the secondary, including cornerback.
Few teams have as talented a starting trio at cornerback as the Packers. But do they have enough depth? Should they look to add a veteran?
Cornerback is next in our post-draft position reviews.
Currently on the roster
Jaire Alexander, Eric Stokes, Rasul Douglas, Shemar Jean-Charles, Keisean Nixon, Kabion Ento, Rico Gafford, Raleigh Texada, Kiondre Thomas
Offseason moves
The Packers made a few offseason moves at cornerback.
In free agency, they re-signed Rasul Douglas to a three-year deal after his standout 2021 season. It’s a well-deserved extension for Douglas, who led the Packers with five interceptions and two defensive touchdowns last term.
Green Bay signed Keisean Nixon, who was an important special teams player for the Las Vegas Raiders under Rich Bisaccia, the Packers’ new special teams coordinator.
This week, the team made Jaire Alexander the highest-paid defensive back in the league.
Starting slot cornerback Chandon Sullivan signed with the Minnesota Vikings in free agency.
Improved from 2021?
Yes.
While they have lost Sullivan, getting Alexander back from injury is huge for Green Bay’s defense. Alexander was limited to just four games in the regular season last year.
With Alexander, Stokes, and Douglas on the field together, quarterbacks will have a tough job finding open receivers.
Key player
Jaire Alexander.
While the Packers’ secondary played admirably in Alexander’s absence last year, in large part due to the performances of Stokes and Douglas, Alexander is a superstar.
The former first-round pick broke up 13 passes and allowed a passer rating of just 67.4 in his coverage in 2020, per Pro Football Reference. Quarterbacks often looked elsewhere to throw the ball.
Alexander was named a second-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler after shutting down some of the league’s best wide receivers.
Position outlook
The Packers’ starting three is as good as any in the league.
Alexander is an All-Pro.
Stokes impressed as a rookie, breaking up 14 passes and allowing fewer than 50 percent of passes to be completed in his coverage, per Pro Football Reference.
Douglas stepped in and dominated last year. QBs had a passer rating of 44.5 throwing his way, per Pro Football Reference.
He also made five interceptions. Of them, two were game-winners and two were returned for touchdowns.
Getting all three players on the field together will be exciting.
The only question is who plays inside. All three are best suited to lining up on the outside.
Another concern is depth. If the Packers suffer an injury or two at cornerback, do they have enough talented backups? Perhaps signing a veteran to a cheap one-year deal could make sense.