The Green Bay Packers' secondary was a talking point for all the wrong reasons last season. Former defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley's unit often limited big plays, but the cornerbacks struggled in coverage, and the Packers were tied for the third-fewest interceptions in the league (7).
Signing former Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Benjamin St-Juste was a step in the right direction, but he's not projected to be a starter, at least early on in the season.
That's why, even without a first-round pick because of the Micah Parsons trade, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst should be in the market for a cornerback. That's even more evident if he reviews Carrington Valentine's numbers, tape, and contract status.
Packers Must Add Another Cornerback
Carrington will enter the final year of his four-year rookie deal. As things stand now, the Packers shouldn't be in much of a rush to give him a new contract, not even after letting Nate Hobbs walk away in free agency.
Valentine started 11 of 17 games for Matt LaFleur's team last season. He gave up a decent 59.7% successful catch rate (37 catches on 62 targets), but allowed a career-worst 472 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, the most on the team. He gave up 128 yards after the catch, missed eight tackles (20.5%), and allowed an opposing passer rating of 121.2 when targeted.
Additionally, Valentine didn't record a single interception and only had four pass breakups despite playing 452 snaps in pass coverage, according to Pro Football Focus. Now, in a contract year, he'll be in the spotlight from the beginning of training camp.
Barring a trade, the 52nd overall selection will be the first time that the Packers will be on the clock at the 2026 NFL draft. That may put them in a position to go with the best player available rather than addressing a positional need; however, there should still be several feasible cornerback options to consider in that range.
Arizona State's Keith Abney II, Arizona's Treydan Stukes, and Miami's Keionte Scott could all be up for grabs for general manager Brian Gutekunst. And even though they may all need some time before making an impact or playing significant snaps, they should all push Valentine and the entire CB room to be on their toes.
Iron sharpens iron, and some friendly competition can usually bring out the best among teammates.
The Packers haven't had a true shutdown corner since prime Jaire Alexander. There are already doubts about Keisean Nixon's abilities in coverage, so there's clearly a major need here. That's why Valentine — and any other Green Bay CB — shouldn't be shocked if competition is added when Gutekunst & Co. head to Pittsburgh for the draft later this month.