The Green Bay Packers' defense took a big leap under defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. However, their pass defense was right in the middle of the pack. They gave up 212.8 passing yards per game, which ranked 17th in the league. Things were so bad by the end of the regular season, though, that they brought in Trevon Diggs after he was let go by the lowly Dallas Cowboys.
The Packers' lack of playmaking defensive backs was a major issue all year long. Their seven interceptions were the third-lowest in the league. Only the Dallas Cowboys, Tennessee Titans, San Francisco 49ers (six each), and New York Jets (zero) had fewer. While the Niners did ultimately make the postseason this year, this is not the company Green Bay wants to keep if the Packers have legitimate title aspirations for the 2026 campaign.
This team still hasn't found a true star at the CB position since Jaire Alexander, and cornerback play was a glaring liability for most of the 2025 campaign. Even so, Packers insider Matt Schneidman of The Athletic reports that GM Brian Gutekunst won't do much to solve that problem.
The Packers Need to Solve Their Issues at Cornerback
"Gutekunst said Keisean Nixon had a 'very, very good year.' Doesn’t think CB needs wholesale changes but wants to improve depth at the position," Schneidman wrote on X.
While adding depth never hurts, that's not this team's issue. The Packers don't have a true starting-caliber cornerback, with Carrington Valentine as the only above-average player on that unit. Neither Nate Hobbs nor Keisean Nixon should be locks to return at all in 2026, much less start for this team.
Nixon is a much better kickoff and punt returner than a defensive back, yet he refuses to contribute on special teams, at least on a full-time basis. As for Hobbs, he's making $14 million a year, but didn't play much in 2025 due to a knee injury. On top of his inability to consistently be on the field, Hobbs hurt Marshawn Lloyd in training camp and was routinely exposed by opposing offenses whenever he was healthy enough to play.
The Packers are starting a new era with Jonathan Gannon as defensive coordinator. His defenses are more focused on limiting explosive plays, putting pressure on the quarterback, and having a strong front seven. In theory, this should help make the secondary's job easier, as more pressure on the QB means less time for them to scan the field for receivers coming open in coverage.
The lack of a reliable secondary led by a true star, which is where this group is entering the offseason, should not be something Gannon stands for. He would be wise to voice that opinion to Gutekunst early and often as we inch closer to free agency and the draft. If not, Green Bay's cornerbacks will continue to give up chunk plays in a hurry, and quarterbacks won't be in the pocket long enough for the pass rush to reach them.
This isn't a matter of adding more bodies to the equation but of finding the right people to take care of business in the secondary. Unfortunately, not even another disappointing and heartbreaking ending to a once-promising season will be enough for this front office to take the swing they need to take the defense to the next level.