Adding Slot CB should still be on Green Bay Packers Radar

With Jaire Alexander, Eric Stokes, and Rasul Douglas, the Green Bay Packers likely have one of the best cornerback trios in all of football—so adding to the cornerback room may not be considered a top priority by many. However, there is still plenty of value in doing so, specifically, someone who can play in the slot.

As it currently stands, Alexander would likely be the Packers’ go-to slot corner if the season started tomorrow with Douglas and Stokes on the boundary. Alexander has been used sparingly in the slot during his first four seasons, but his skill-set allows him to play anywhere, he’s physical against the run, and given the makeup of the cornerback room, this alignment likely makes the most sense when trying to maximize everyone’s abilities.

While at season’s end, Alexander may have taken the most slot snaps on the team, it’s not as if he’s going to solely be used in that role either. Some weeks he could take most of his snaps inside, while the next, he could primarily be on the boundary. I imagine it’s going to vary week to week depending on the opponent.

Alexander has blossomed into one of the best cover corners in football and needs to be used as such. This means if the opponent’s top receiver plays on the boundary or moves around the formation, Alexander needs to be close by.

"“With Ja, he’s going to go where some of the receivers are going to go and he’s going to follow those guys in different packages. He can do everything,” Gutekunst said at the NFL owners meeting on Monday via Packers Wire. “That’s a nice luxury for us to have.”"

So if this ends up being the case, the Green Bay Packers need someone to play in the slot when Alexander is on the boundary. Perhaps second-year player Shemar Jean-Charles could assume a larger role, but from the outside looking in, who knows if he is ready to be leaned on heavily after just 38 defensive snaps his rookie season.

Green Bay’s newest cornerback Keisean Nixon has some slot experience as well, but again, it’s a relatively small sample size. And if the Packers plan to use Darnell Savage there more — although he has struggled in coverage at times — then they better plan on improving their safety depth.

Gutekunst would also mention that he feels comfortable with either Stokes or Douglas playing in the slot as well.

"“I really like the versatility of our corner group,” Gutekunst said via Packers Wire. “Our entire corner group that we have right now probably could both play inside and out.”"

With that said, it’s worth noting that Stokes played just five snaps last season from the slot while Douglas has only 80 total snaps there over his entire career, according to PFF ($$).

Adding another slot option could take Green Bay Packers secondary to another level.

This is where the value of adding to this position lies—whether that be through free agency or in the draft, although I’d guess the draft is the more likely route.

With a reliable slot option not named Alexander, Joe Barry would have an immense amount of flexibility with his secondary. Alexander would have the complete freedom to move around as needed, while Douglas, for example, could be utilized in that third safety role as a way to keep all three of Green Bay’s top corners on the field.

These are just a few options that the Green Bay Packers would have, but for Barry and how he constructs his secondary week to week or even series to series, the possibilities could be endless, and life for opposing offenses could be quite difficult.

A few names in the draft to keep your eyes on from Brennen Rupp of Packers Wire include Roger McCreary, Kyler Gordon, Cam Taylor-Britt, and Trent McDuffie. There are a few safeties including Daxton Hill and Jalen Pitre who could step in and play in the slot right away as well.

Cornerback is one of the most important positions in football, and last season we all saw how important depth at that position can be, so adding to it, even with Alexander, Stokes, and Douglas, should always be on Gutey’s radar. As good as this room can be, adding another option in the slot could take this already stout secondary to another level.