The Green Bay Packers were predictably quiet in free agency, even at cornerback, which is arguably their biggest need.
Green Bay released Nate Hobbs and signed Benjamin St-Juste to replace him, but St-Juste will likely play a backup role in Jonathan Gannon's defense. The Packers remain a couple of injuries away from one of Bo Melton, Shemar Bartholomew, or Kamal Hadden starting at cornerback.
They will almost certainly use next month's draft to add competition, but in serious need of depth, Green Bay may also need to give Trevon Diggs a call.
Packers could bring Trevon Diggs back to provide much-needed competition at cornerback
The Packers would ideally add multiple cornerbacks in next month's draft, but it will be impossible to fix every need without a first-round pick. The team still needs additional help at edge-rusher, defensive tackle, and across the offensive line, and they could even draft a running back sooner than anyone anticipates.
Cornerback should be a priority, but even if Green Bay addresses the position at No. 52 overall, there could still be a need for more competition.
That's where bringing Diggs back could make sense, although it'd be a gamble.
It's the exact move the Packers made late in the regular season, claiming Diggs off waivers after the Dallas Cowboys released him. Diggs only played one snap in the playoffs before the Packers released him to clear his full $15.03 million cap hit due in 2026.
Re-signing Diggs would undoubtedly be a risk, which explains why he is still available this late in March (he has been a free agent since clearing waivers on January 21).
On one hand, Diggs is a two-time Pro Bowler and former first-team All-Pro. In 2021, he recorded a league-best 11 interceptions and returned two for touchdowns. The veteran has 20 career picks, and that ability to generate takeaways could help a Packers defense that intercepted only seven passes last season.
However, Diggs has missed significant time due to injury in recent years, which included tearing his ACL only two games into the 2023 season.
His numbers have regressed, too. According to Pro Football Reference, in eight games for the Cowboys last season, Diggs allowed 17 completions on 22 targets for 270 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions, with quarterbacks earning a near-perfect 157.2 passer rating when targeting him.
But on a one-year, prove-it deal as a backup? It could make sense. The Packers should draft a cornerback early to provide competition for Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine, and St-Juste. Adding Diggs would be a relatively low-risk move, assuming it's a bargain one-year deal, though they would still be banking on him rediscovering his best form, which is no guarantee.
The Packers may not have much choice. Green Bay needs competition at cornerback, but with several other needs to address in the draft, general manager Brian Gutekunst may not get a chance to double down at the position. Only time will tell.
Signing any of the remaining free-agent cornerbacks would come with risk. Marshon Lattimore and L'Jarius Sneed are among the biggest names, but they are both 29 years old and coming off disastrous seasons.
Last season, PFF ranked Lattimore and Sneed 94th and 104th in coverage, respectively, among 114 cornerbacks. Diggs is 27 years old and ranked 45th in coverage grade.
If the board doesn't fall the Packers' way in the draft (and they will likely need to add multiple cornerbacks), Gutekunst may need to give Diggs another call.