The Green Bay Packers lost defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley to the Miami Dolphins after he accepted the team's head-coaching position. They will also likely be without Micah Parsons for the first three or four weeks of the season as he works his way back from injury.
However, neither of those was their main defensive concern entering the offseason. As any fan in Dairyland will tell you, the cornerback situation was a bit of a headache last year, and the CB room got even thinner when the front office, rightfully, decided to move on from Nate Hobbs.
That's why getting former Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Benjamin St-Juste was such a great move. It didn't grab headlines nationally, and it was just a two-year deal with an average annual salary of $5 million, but it might change everything for Jonathan Gannon's defense.
Benjamin St-Juste Is Just What the Packers Needed at CB
A former third-round selection, St-Juste spent last season with the Chargers, and even though he wasn't the flashiest guy out there, he was fairly productive. He made 16 appearances (two starts) for Jim Harbaugh's team, recording 37 tackles (22 solo), seven passes defended, and one interception.
Those efforts earned him a Pro Football Focus grade of 75.6, which was the 12th highest among 114 eligible players at the position. Of course, those ratings should never be considered the end-all, be-all when analyzing a player's performance. Having said that, PFF is a useful tool, and it is worth noting that St-Juste graded out so well despite not being a starter.
All in all, he allowed a 53.5 percent successful catch rate, giving up 23 receptions on 43 targets. He gave up 243 yards and one score, with opposing quarterbacks logging a passer rating of 68.3 when going against him. He didn't miss a single tackle and had 10 run stops.
The Packers have struggled to find a well-established, play-making cornerback since Jaire Alexander's string of injuries and eventual release. Keisean Nixon is better suited for special teams than for coverage, and Carrington Valentine was a bit of a mixed bag last season. He should still be the starter at first, with St-Juste as his primary backup, but it wouldn't be surprising to see the newcomer take either Valentine or Nixon's starting spot.
Hafley's defense allowed a successful completion percentage of 64.32 last season, per Team Rankings, ranking 18th in the league. The 202.9 passing yards Green Bay allowed per game ranked 14th, and its 1.51 percent interception rate was the sixth-worst in the league. Clearly, the Packers could use some shutdown corners.
Green Bay's depth at cornerback leaves plenty to be desired. Kamal Hadden, Shemar Bartholomew, Tyron Herring, and Bo Melton round up the room, and none are a reliable option to handle starting duties. St-Juste is an experienced guy who came in at a discount to fill a position of need, and he might be a better option than whatever version of Trevon Diggs they may get if they bring him back.
With no first-round pick because of the Micah Parsons trade and limited options, the Packers did the right thing by signing someone who flew under the radar. He didn't make many splash plays, but he rarely made mistakes, and that's often more important.