With training camps getting underway and the start of the 2025 NFL regular season mere weeks away, the ESPN trio of Mike Clay, Aaron Schatz, and Seth Walder recently took some time to rank the projected starting lineups for all 32 teams, with each assessment featuring what they believe to be each franchise's biggest strength, weakness, X-factor, and non-starter.
From an overall standpoint, the Green Bay Packers ranked a respectable 14th, good for third among the four NFC North squads. The Detroit Lions ranked third, while the Minnesota Vikings just missed out on the top 10 in 11th. The Chicago Bears, meanwhile, came in just one back of Green Bay in 15th.
In regard to the Packers, Clay opined that the team's biggest strength right now is at the safety position, naturally highlighting Xavier McKinney, who earned First-Team All-Pro honors in his first year with Green Bay a season ago. He also noted the strong play from rookies Javon Bullard and Evan Williams in 2024.
As for Green Bay's X-factor, Walder went with linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, who, like Bullard and Williams, had a solid rookie campaign. And Lukas Van Ness was chosen by Schatz as the team's most essential non-starter, making the obvious statement that the "Packers are still looking to get more out of him."
Clay was tasked with assigning the team's biggest weakness, and this was probably the easiest decision for any of the three analysts to make. His answer, of course, was the cornerback position.
The Packers have big problems and little experience at the cornerback position
Here's what Clay had to say on Green Bay's biggest weakness:
"Cornerback. Standout corner Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes departed this offseason and were 'replaced' by Nate Hobbs and seventh-round rookie Micah Robinson. The shake-up positions Hobbs (who, like Alexander, has struggled with injuries in recent seasons) for a starting role, along with Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine. No other corner on the roster played a regular-season snap last season."
Yeah, that pretty much sums things up.
While unfortunate, the decision to part ways with Alexander had to be made, as the two-time Pro Bowler had simply become too much of a liability (and an expensive one at that), missing 34 of a possible 68 regular-season games over the past four years.
And Stokes simply never lived up to his draft status, as the 2021 first-rounder was just never consistent enough to trust.
Clay's certainly correct about Hobbs, who's missed 16 games over the past three seasons. And yet, he was still given a four-year, $48 million contract.
Valentine and Nixon had decent enough seasons a year ago at best, ranking 45th and 86th, respectively, among all corners when it comes to overall PFF grades. But with all due respect, that's not going to get the job done.
And as Clay points out, the guys behind those two on the perimeter—Kamal Hadden, Isaiah Dunn, and rookies Tyron Herring and Micah Robinson took zero regular-season snaps last year, Herring and Robinson for obvious reasons.
There are still options available at cornerback in free agency, and the Packers would be wise to at least take a look at a few of them.