Week 15 was a brutal one for the Green Bay Packers, as they had their four-game win streak snapped at the hands of the Denver Broncos. During the loss, they lost edge Micah Parsons to a presumed torn ACL, while receiver Christian Watson left with a chest injury.
Although they got some good news on Watson, as he avoided any long-term injury, it was still a telling game against Denver. The Packers are still in control of their playoff chances, but their biggest problem continues to be at cornerback. And the loss to the Broncos made it obvious that's the most glaring need atop their wishlist.
Cornerback Is Green Bay's Biggest Need This Offseason
During the loss to the Broncos, Bo Nix carved up Green Bay's secondary to the tune of 23-of-34 for 302 passing yards and four passing scores. Courtland Sutton and Troy Franklin both finished with 85-plus receiving yards and a score, as the Packers had no answers.
Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine both struggled immensely and failed to slow down these receivers. With Parsons going down, it put a bigger emphasis on the corners to stick in coverage longer, and that isn't what they've been able to do. It's clear Parsons was covering up a lot in the secondary, and with him gone for an extended period of time, the Packers must find ways to get upgrades at cornerback.
That position group was a major topic of discussion last offseason when they released Jaire Alexander and added Nate Hobbs in free agency. Hobbs has been a disaster for the Packers this season, while also missing time due to injury.
That has led to Nixon being relied on as a CB1, but that's less than ideal. Despite coming away with the game-sealing interception versus the Bears in Week 14, Nixon was a problem in the secondary. According to Pro Football Focus, Nixon had a 53.2 defensive grade and a 52.6 coverage grade. He allowed five catches (six targets) for 79 yards and a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Valentine continued to have problems tackling, logging an embarrassing 29.6 tacking grade on PFF. In coverage, he also allowed four catches for 56 receiving yards. Fans aren't happy with these performances, and with their star pass rusher gone, it only puts more pressure on these corners to produce.
Yet, based on how things have looked without Parsons in the fold, the expectations are certainly dulled down. Fans in Titletown want more help in the secondary, and Green Bay must make it a priority to get better in that area in the upcoming offseason.