Without making a splash move via trade or free agency, the Green Bay Packers significantly improved their cornerback room over the course of the offseason. Free-agent addition Benjamin St-Juste could compete for a starting job, as should second-round draft pick Brandon Cisse. The Packers still have both of last year's starters in Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine.
While those four feel like the main contestants for the top two spots, sixth-rounder Domani Jackson is quietly a candidate to shake up the rotation. In particular, if Valentine loses out to St-Juste or Cisse for a starting role, don't count Jackson out from leapfrogging him on the depth chart.
The dynamics of a late-draft rookie supplanting an erstwhile starter could naturally be somewhat awkward and uncomfortable. At the same time, the reality is that Valentine started last season because the Packers had no one else to turn to.
Jackson felt like a steal as a late Day 3 pick, and any pressure he puts on fellow cornerbacks will say as much about his own talent as teammates' shortcomings.
Strong summer from Domani Jackson could put Carrington Valentine's role in question
Valentine started 11 games last season, leading to a career-high 780 snaps, once injuries caught up to now-San Francisco 49ers cornerback Nate Hobbs. Valentine, a 2023 seventh-round pick, is a serviceable depth piece. As an every-week starter, he was a bit out of his depth.
Valentine struggled in both coverage and against the run last season, allowing a 121.2 passer rating and seven touchdowns across 62 targets, per Pro Football Reference. His missed-tackle rate of 20.5 percent was easily a career high.
Even so, asking Jackson to replace him as a starter would be a tall order. Exciting a steal as he is, the Alabama product is still a 201st overall pick with no NFL experience.
That said, if the Packers fill the starting spots with some combination of Nixon, Cisse, and St-Juste, Jackson could absolutely fight his way up from the bottom of the scrum as a CB4. That would also make him the first reserve off the bench in case of injury.
Listed at 6-foot-1 and 196 pounds, with a 4.41 40-time, Jackson has the build of a prototypical Packers cornerback prospect. He has a size advantage over Valentine and length over Nixon. While he won't win a job based on his physical traits alone, combined with his resilient character, his athletic tools are a solid indicator of his potential.
With additional reps and instruction in training camp, Jackson can set to work mucking up early depth-chart projections in Green Bay's cornerback room.
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