Jaire Alexander's increasingly likely return is a resounding positive for the Green Bay Packers. However, it leaves second-year Javon Bullard in an uncertain position.
A victim of his own versatility, Bullard did a bit of everything as a rookie, but it could ultimately leave him with nothing.
There's a new name to watch closely. Cornerback Gregory Junior, participating in practice only days after the Packers signed him, walked straight into the first-team defense to get reps at the nickel spot.
It's important not to overreact to one May workout, but it's not nothing, either.
It wouldn't be the first time a soon-to-be key contributor had laid down their marker during OTAs — Malik Heath is a recent example who received spring hype and turned it into regular-season production.
Javon Bullard may struggle to get regular snaps, especially if Jaire Alexander returns
Bullard is a candidate to start at safety, but Evan Williams outperformed him in that role last season. Sending Williams to the bench after earning all-rookie honors would be a brave decision, and one the Packers may quickly regret.
If he doesn't start alongside Xavier McKinney, how about the slot corner position? That's where Bullard made his home for much of his rookie season, but even that role is in serious jeopardy.
The Packers signed cornerback Nate Hobbs in free agency, and while he offers inside/outside versatility, there is far less need to play on the boundary if Alexander rejoins Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine. Hobbs is at his best in the slot, where the Las Vegas Raiders utilized him the most.
We go back to the original question: where does it leave Bullard?
The former Georgia star showed promise in multiple areas last season. His coverage? Not among them. Per Pro Football Focus, Bullard surrendered 48 receptions on 57 targets for 487 yards, three touchdowns, and a 119.8 passer rating in his coverage. That's nowhere near good enough, especially when on slot duties.
Green Bay didn't hand Hobbs a $48 million contract to be a bit-part player — he will start. But if Alexander, Nixon, and Valentine dominate the boundary snaps, Hobbs could spend most of his time in the slot, which is the role he predominantly held in Las Vegas.
The Packers have options at nickel, including Junior, who earned some first-team reps in the first week of OTAs, and second-year Kalen King.
That could freeze Bullard out of the regular rotation. His only shot at a starting job may come at safety, but that would require outperforming Williams, who is a rising star in his own right and the frontrunner to start alongside McKinney.
It's only OTAs, and there's plenty of time between now and Week 1, but Bullard, a second-round pick only a year ago, may struggle to regularly make the starting lineup.