The Green Bay Packers didn't have a first-round pick because of the Micah Parsons trade, and while they were more than fine with that, it put even more pressure on them to get things right in the second round.
They landed one of the most enticing cornerback prospects in Brandon Cisse, a young and promising player often tied to them in mock drafts. However, as good a prospect as he is, he always looked a bit raw and like a work in progress.
Even so, the Packers' glaring issues at cornerback left the door wide open for him to get a starting spot right out of the gate. That's why it was somewhat disappointing to read On Si's Bill Huber point out that it might not be the case, based on his observations from OTAs.
The Packers might be overly patient with Brandon Cisse
"Cisse, a second-round draft pick, took a handful of first-team reps most days during the offseason, but the returning starters, Nixon and Valentine, formed the No. 1 tandem for the overwhelming majority of snaps. There’s no reason to believe they won’t be the starters to open training camp. How the group will come out of training camp is anyone’s guess," wrote Huber.
Then again, this isn't necessarily a surprise. The Packers have always erred on the side of caution with their rookies, sometimes to a fault. There's no reason to believe things would've been different this time around.
Nevertheless, with so many concerns at cornerback, it feels like Matt LaFleur should, at the very least, battle-test his second-round pick and let him show what he can do. If anything, that's the only way he'll get the experience he needs to work on his flaws.
The Packers have Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine atop the depth chart, and that's far from encouraging. They combined to give up 13 touchdowns last season, and the team must put some pressure on them and let them know that they have to be on their toes or might lose their starting spot.
Newcomer Benjamin St-Juste should be in the mix to take Valentine's spot, and given Nixon's contractual situation, he might not be a part of the team's long-term plans. As such, that only gives them even more reasons to roll with the rookie and let him grow through his mistakes.
The Packers already know what Nixon and Valentine bring to the table, and it's not good. Nixon is a great special teams player, but not so much in coverage, and Valentine would probably be a third-stringer in most teams.
Taking Cisse was the first step in addressing that major concern, but that can only help so much if they don't play him. Even if that's not their usual approach, keeping him on the bench might come back to haunt this team early and often.
Add us as a preferred source on Google