3 Packers who must play more in Week 2 vs. Falcons
2. Carrington Valentine
How did Carrington Valentine fall to the seventh round? The rookie continues to impress. He played so well over the summer that the Packers were comfortable keeping only four cornerbacks on the 53-man roster until Eric Stokes returns.
And he made an impact in a backup role last week. Valentine made two tackles in the contest, and he even went up against Bears star wide receiver DJ Moore. NFL Network's Ben Fennell was impressed.
If you watched Valentine in the preseason, his Week 1 performance comes as no surprise. He was outstanding all summer, even when taking on the Packers' first-team offense. In the preseason, Valentine made a team-best six pass defenses and one interception.
Starter Keisean Nixon didn't have a great game. Per Pro Football Reference, Justin Fields completed seven of eight passes in Nixon's coverage for 53 yards and a touchdown, with a passer rating of 133.9. It's just one game, and Nixon has the ability to play in the slot, but it's something to watch.
Valentine has made the most of every opportunity and deserves more snaps. An excellent summer earned him a spot on the 53-man roster, and a good performance in his NFL debut should lead to an increased role in Joe Barry's defense.