The Packers Are Back To Square One At Cornerback

The writing was on the wall for Green Bay Packers star cornerback Jaire Alexander. There were rumblings that Green Bay was frustrated with Alexander’s ability to stay healthy and looked to move off the player.

Last week, they made it official.

While there’s a slight chance the Packers don’t move Alexander, his time in green and gold is likely over. However, Alexander has two years left on his contract. Next season, he’s set to make $17.5 million. If the Packers trade him, the team will open up $6.8 million.

It’s the end of an era for No. 23 in Green Bay.

Alexander was Brian Gutekunst’s first pick as Green Bay’s general manager. The 18th-overall pick in 2018 has had signature moments, like doing the

In this free-agent cycle, the Packers will likely lose former first-round pick Eric Stokes, who, like Alexander, has struggled to stay on the field. The Packers have had this happen before. Another top pick, Kevin King, has also had his career derailed by injuries. Almost all of Green Bay’s top picks at corner have dealt with serious injuries that dampened their potential impact in Green Bay.

Damarious Randall, Quinten Rollins, and Tramon Williams left Green Bay. Gone are their successors, Stokes and Alexander. So where does that leave the Packers, with Stokes and Alexander likely departing?

The Packers have Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine, Corey Ballentine, Robert Rochell, Kamal Hadden, and Kalen King at corner. Javon Bullard is a safety who has played some nickel. However, he can’t line up as a true boundary corner in the NFL.

Nixon has said he wants to be CB1. I also want to be on an NFL roster and get paid millions of dollars, but not all our dreams come true. He has value as an emergency option and is a willing tackler who makes an impact on special teams. However, it will be a long season if Nixon is the top corner on Green Bay’s defense.

Valentine is a solid corner who showed flashes of being able to handle a bigger role last season. Entering his third year, he could be a solid CB2/CB3 for the Packers. Still, he’s not ready to step up and fill the void that Alexander’s absence will leave.

All the other players are low-tier veterans or unproven players with limited upside in the draft — not exactly players you want to bank on.

So, can the Packers replace Alexander in free agency?

D.J. Reed, Charvarius Ward, Byron Murphy, Carlton Davis, and Asante Samuel Jr. headline the free-agent class. According to PFF, all these guys will get at least $14 per year on their next contracts.

Samuel would be my pick as the youngest of this group. However, he’s also dealt with injuries and struggled to see the field over the past two seasons. The Packers may want to avoid another injury-prone player.

The draft also has some intriguing cornerbacks who could see snaps early. There are a ton of dudes in each round who could be intriguing for Green Bay. Jahdae Barron and Trey Amos in Round 1. Benjamin Morrison or Azareye'h Thomas in Round 2. Maxwell Hairston in Round 3. There are options for the Packers to get talent into the cornerback room.

Alexander’s time was bound to end eventually, and his departure from Green Bay would likely have come earlier than most people expected. Now, the Packers have to take an honest look at their cornerback room and upgrade in free agency and the draft.

All stats and data via ESPN, Football Reference and Sportrac unless otherwise noted.