Packers young CBs get chance in OTAs to work with starters

Jaire Alexander and Rasul Douglas have not been at the Packers voluntary OTA practices over the last few weeks, which means more valuable reps for Green Bay’s young cornerbacks.

"“They’re at a premium (practice reps),” said Matt LaFleur following Tuesday’s open practice. “You can’t put a value on them, especially for guys that haven’t played, newcomers to this league, rookies.”"

As LaFleur told us earlier in the offseason, Keisean Nixon has been the starting slot cornerback throughout OTAs. But without Alexander or Douglas, along with Eric Stokes still rehabbing from a leg and foot injury from a season ago, it has been Shemar Jean-Charles and Corey Ballantine as the primary starting boundary cornerbacks, with seventh-round rookie Carrington Valentine getting some first-team reps as well.

Jean-Charles was a core special teams player at the start of last season before suffering an injury that took him out of the lineup. Upon his return, he was often listed as inactive each week for the remainder of the season. In Jean-Charles’ absence, Ballantine became a regular member of the special teams unit in Week 10, and despite playing the 18th-most special teams snaps on the team, he finished sixth in solo tackles.

Valentine, meanwhile, is athletic and brings length to the position. During his final season at Kentucky, he allowed a completion rate of just 55% on 65 targets with four interceptions and six pass breakups, according to PFF. He also has nearly 300 special teams snaps in college as well. During a Zoom call with reporters after he was drafted, Valentine mentioned that he is a physical press-man cornerback and is comfortable being left on an island.

Over the last two practices that have been open to the media, we’ve seen Ballantine have two near interceptions off Jordan Love, with one that bounced off his chest and another off of a deflected pass that he couldn’t get ahold of.

Valentine, specifically, has caught the eye of Matt LaFleur, who said following Tuesday’s practice that he has done an “unbelievable job.” On back-to-back plays in the red zone, Valentine broke up a pair of passes that were intended for Romeo Doubs, who has been having an excellent few weeks.

"“I thought CV (Carrington Valentine) has done an unbelievable job,” said LaFleur. “You can really see the body movement skills that he possesses. And he’s been working hard. I think there’s been some great lessons along the way. But he’s a guy that certainly has the talent, and it’s going to be on him to put it all together and do it in the preseason.”"

Even with Stokes potentially beginning the regular season on the PUP list, there really aren’t any defensive snaps to go around at the cornerback position at that point, with Nixon inside, along with Alexander and Douglas outside. Once Stokes returns, the room gets even more crowded, and a potentially difficult decision around playing time will have to be made.

This means that for these young cornerbacks, their path to making the final roster is going to have to come through special teams contributions and standing out in that capacity. If, for the time being, we assume Stokes starts the season on PUP, that leaves two to three roster spots open at the cornerback position, depending on whether the Packers roster five or six in total. For reference, Green Bay kept five last season. Also at the cornerback position are Tyrell Ford, William Hooper, and Kiondre Thomas.

Once mandatory minicamp begins next week and eventually training camp takes place, these young cornerbacks will go back to primarily working with the second and third-team defenses. But before then, Ballentine, Jean-Charles, and Valentine were each able to experience some needed and valuable practice reps against the Packers’ starting offense.