The Green Bay Packers enter the 2026 season in a privileged position. While Micah Parsons' injury remains a concern and fans are skeptical about Jonathan Gannon's arrival, this team has a fairly strong roster and should be back in the playoffs.
However, even the best things can be improved, and the bar is higher at Lambeau Field than in most places. As such, Matt LaFleur can't afford to have his CB2 spot continue being such a headache in 2026.
The failed Nate Hobbs experiment didn't last long, but Carrington Valentine didn't do much to earn that spot. That's why ESPN's Ben Solak believes that will be the Packers' most crucial position battle of the offseason.
The Packers need to solve their problems at cornerback
"Hobbs injured his knee in training camp and missed Week 1, and then he missed more time midseason as he struggled to hold the job opposite Keisean Nixon. That forced Valentine into the lineup, and he was a target for opposing offenses. Hobbs was released after just one season, and now veteran journeyman St-Juste and second-round rookie Cisse are the challengers for Valentine's role," wrote Solak.
This team hasn't had an elite cornerback since prime Jaire Alexander. Keisean Nixon was marginally better than Valentine, but he shouldn't be in the clear either, especially if he doesn't also contribute on special teams. Even so, given his steep salary, he's likely to start.
The Packers usually take things slowly with their rookies. Brandon Cisse has all the traits and intangibles, but he's a little raw, and it would be a pleasant surprise to see him win the starting job at any point in the season. It would be a welcome development, of course, but it might also be wishful thinking at this point.
That leaves Benjamin St-Juste as Valentine's biggest competitor. He's not the biggest name in the league by any means, but he's always been a serviceable guy who doesn't make a lot of mistakes. With Valentine's struggles, that might be just enough to get him the job.
This team plays in the toughest division in football, and there are some great quarterbacks and offensive minds in the NFC North. They can't have a cornerback being constantly picked on and targeted as the weak link with so many gunslingers in town.
The Packers showed how concerned they were about this position by moving on from Hobbs, using their first draft pick on a cornerback, and signing another in free agency. Some friendly competition never hurts, and Jonathan Gannon can only hope that iron will sharpen iron and having so many options to choose from will only bring out the best in these guys. Otherwise, that would be the first need to address before the trade deadline.
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