The hunt to find a plug for the Jaire Alexander-shaped hole in the Green Bay Packers defense is on.
Alexander's exit from the team has opened up plenty of questions about who could step up to fill the role of CB1 for the foreseeable future. Keisean Nixon, age 27, holds veteran status at the position for the Packers and could be asked to do more with Alexander officially leaving Green Bay.
The implications of the acquisition of Nate Hobbs should be thought about more closely now as well. Even Bo Melton, who finished with the eighth-most receiving yards on the team last season, has recently been spotted getting some reps in on the defensive side of the ball.
One player who could make the move into the starting cornerback position is Javon Bullard, who was picked up in the second round by the Packers last year, just 13 spots after stud linebacker Edgerrin Cooper.
Javon Bullard is poised for breakout second season in Packers defense
During the 2024 season, Bullard was constantly switching between playing safety and slot corner and ended with the third-most tackles on the team, ahead of not only Nixon but Pro Bowl safety Xavier McKinney.
However, when it came to pass coverage, he fell short, recording just one successful pass breakup and allowing three touchdowns.
It's no secret that Bullard struggled last season; he even posted an edit of his college film and claimed he needed to "find this guy." He's obviously hungry to succeed in Green Bay and is in no hurry to sit on the bench. An opportunity to earn the starting nickel corner position might be just what he needs to become the kind of player that Packers fans hope he can be.
Bullard has seemingly missed out on a starting safety position for Green Bay this year, but that doesn't mean he's destined to be a second-string player. With plenty of talent on tape from his days at the University of Georgia, the young safety still has a strong chance of being a defensive playmaker in the 2025 season.