Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said last month that he doesn’t believe the team’s CB room needs to make wholesale changes in the offseason. However, when looking at the Packers’ cornerback performance this past season, it’s clear that they could use another option to compete with Carrington Valentine, along with figuring out Nate Hobbs’ future.
One player who could be a feasible option for the Packers to consider at the CB2 spot is none other than veteran cornerback Marshon Lattimore, who will be looking for a new team to play for in 2026.
According to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports, the Washington Commanders are expected to release Lattimore. This is not shocking, considering that the veteran defender is set to become a free agent in 2027 and has struggled to stay healthy over the last few years.
This past season, Lattimore played in only nine games due to a torn ACL he suffered during Week 9 against the Seattle Seahawks. The last time Lattimore played double-digit games in a season was in 2023 with the New Orleans Saints.
Marshon Lattimore Could Help Green Bay to Solve Its CB2 Woes
With that being said, Lattimore might not be a terrible CB2 option to consider coming off a torn ACL. We know what Valentine is as a player. He's a good spot starter, but he will give it up some plays and also miss some tackles. The more playing time he gets, the more it leaves him a chance to be exposed in pass coverage.
As for Lattimore, the soon-to-be ex-Commanders defensive back kind of fits the profile of what Green Bay likes in its CBs. Paul Noonan of Acme Packing Co. wrote an intriguing piece last year ahead of the draft regarding how the CBs that Green Bay selects end up mirroring Lattimore’s RAS.
RAS stands for relative athletic score, and it comes from a prospect’s scouting Combine and/or pro-day numbers on a 1-10 scale.
Lattimore recorded a ridiculous 9.99 RAS during this draft year, and coincidentally, Eric Stokes (9.45 RAS) and Robert Rochell (9.65), both former Packers, were mentioned as RAS comps for the multiple-time Pro Bowl cornerback. Carrington Valentine, who had a 9.3 RAS, and as Noonan points out, his top comp is Lattimore.
Therefore, if you’re Gutekunst, why not finally go after the guy whom you’ve been profiling your CB group after? Granted, Lattimore might not be the same player that we saw in New Orleans, but if he is healthy, he gives the Packers another candidate to start on the outside.
The Packers are the same team that surprisingly took a chance on Trevon Diggs at the end of this past season to see if he could be an option in 2026. It didn’t work out, but that was a small sign that Green Bay wasn’t content with their CB group.
In the short time he was on the field this past season, opposing QBs only completed 59.5 percent of their passes against Lattimore. The veteran defensive back also had seven pass deflections, posted a 93.0 passer rating, and gave up two touchdowns.
If the price is right and everything checks out medically, the Packers should not dismiss the idea of bringing Lattimore to Lambeau.