Following Jaire Alexander's release from the Green Bay Packers, the immediate thought has become: Who will take his place? Alexander has missed a significant number of games in three of his last four seasons, but when healthy, he has been a stud. In 2022, his last full season, he recorded five interceptions, was invited to the Pro Bowl, and ranked 4th in PFF's cornerback rankings.
Stepping up to replace Alexander’s presence full-time will be a challenge, but the Packers have plenty of young players vying for a shot. Keisean Nixon is the go-to name when thinking about who’s first in line for the role, but Carrington Valentine, Kalen King, and newly drafted Micah Robinson are all under the age of 24 and likely hungry for a chance at a starting spot.
Valentine, King, and Robinson were each taken in the seventh round of their respective drafts, but they have the potential to outperform expectations. As offseason practices get underway, it wouldn’t be surprising to see at least one of them take major strides toward claiming the spot left vacant by Alexander.
Valentine is entering his third season with the Packers. Starting just seven games last year, he recorded two interceptions and two forced fumbles, tying with Nixon for the second-most turnovers created (behind Xavier McKinney, who had eight interceptions). This ball-focused aggressiveness is a huge plus for Green Bay, bringing them into the top three in the league in terms of turnover differential last season. A trait he will need to improve on is his pass coverage.
Per Pro Football Reference, Valentine allowed completions on 23 of 30 passes last season, allowing about 6.5 yards per reception. However, he refused to allow a single touchdown when targeted. Valentine's intensity as a defender is undeniable, and if he increases his ability to break up passes, the starting position should land in his lap.
Going all of last season without seeing a snap, King has the most to prove in 2025. He was arguably the best corner in the Big 10 in 2022, with eighteen pass breakups (four more than now two-time Pro Bowler Devon Witherspoon). He also had three interceptions and showed potential of being a first-round pick before failing to meet expectations in 2023.
He has shown off some incredible speed in the past, allowing him to stick to receivers and apply pressure behind the line of scrimmage. Some discussions have already begun to surround King’s offseason efforts, leading fans to seed some hope for a breakout year.
At the end of this year’s draft, the Packers took yet another stab at the cornerback position with Robinson from Tulane. He may be less experienced than Valentine or King—playing four years of FCS college ball at Furman before his final year at Tulane—but he finds himself on one of the youngest teams in the league and will have plenty of opportunity to prove himself during the offseason.
The highs of Jaire Alexander may be hard to reach right off the bat, but the young roster is full of players determined to prove that their draft ranking doesn’t decide their fate in the NFL.