With possible roster opening(s) at CB, Packers Corey Ballentine stands out
By Paul Bretl
This summer, as training camp and the preseason unfolds, there could be anywhere from one to three roster spots open at cornerback for the Green Bay Packers, and Corey Ballentine has firmly placed himself in the mix as one of the front-runners for those potential openings.
Ballentine spent time on the Packers practice squad last season before becoming a core special teams player during Week 10 and through the remainder of the season. While he ranked 18th on the team in total special teams snaps, Ballentine finished sixth in solo tackles, according to PFF.
Although OTAs and minicamp will only carry a little weight when it comes to final roster decisions, they do provide us with some insight into where things currently stand. And right now, based on what I saw during the five open practice sessions, I would consider Ballentine one of the favorites to make the final roster.
During OTAs, when Rasul Douglas nor Jaire Alexander were present, Ballentine was the consistent starting boundary cornerback, while Shemar Jean-Charles and rookie Carrington Valentine rotated. In those team sessions, he had one pass breakup and two near interceptions.
Once Douglas and Alexander returned, Ballentine was working with the second team defense, and during 7-on-7 drills that featured two groups of offensive and defensive players competing against each other, Ballentine was with the group that featured the defensive starters. He was also working with the starting kick-return unit as well.
Eric Stokes’ availability for Week 1 will, of course, play a key factor in determining how many roster spots are available at cornerback–a position group where the Packers rostered five a season ago, but they have often kept six cornerbacks as well.
If Stokes begins the season on the PUP list, then there will be two or three spots up for grabs, depending on if Green Bay keeps five or six cornerbacks, with Douglas, Alexander, and Keisean Nixon considered the roster locks. If Stokes is available for the first game, then there will be one to two roster openings available.
Along with Ballentine, rookie seventh-round pick Carrington Valentine has also stood out over the last month of practices, with Matt LaFleur saying that he has done an “unbelievable job.”
In a crowded cornerback room, there is really not going to be any playing time on defense available. In fact, I’m still not sure how the Packers are going to manage the playing time for their top four cornerbacks once Stokes returns. What we do know right now is that Douglas and Alexander will be on the field.
This means that special teams play is likely going to be the deciding factor when it comes to who earns those final roster spots. As previously mentioned, Ballentine played well on that unit in 2022, and Valentine brings special teams experience from his time at Kentucky. Jean-Charles was a regular on the special teams unit last season before suffering an injury, but once he returned, he was often inactive on game days.
In a cornerback room that has a lot of talent, Ballentine can fly under the radar. However, once training camp begins, he is someone to keep your eyes on as he’s already been a sound special teams contributor and was the top boundary option during offseason programs for the Packers when without their starting cornerbacks.