The Green Bay Packers have some big roster holes to fill. Couple that with the need to build a strong group of young core players around new starting quarterback Jordan Love, and the upcoming NFL draft will provide an ideal chance to rebuild this roster for a new era.
The Packers have quite a few spots for a rookie to come in and start immediately, but the team traditionally doesn’t use its first-round picks with the intention of starting on Day 1. Rashan Gary, Jordan Love, and Devonte Wyatt all spent time on the bench before the team expected them to take a big role.
So it wouldn’t be surprising if the Packers spent pick No. 15 with an eye to the future, targeting a player who might not start til Year 2 or even Year 3. Additionally, Green Bay’s two immediate needs, tight end and safety, are generally best addressed in Round 2 or later.
With that in mind, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Brian Gutekunst attack a seemingly superfluous position like cornerback in the first round. Green Bay’s starting cornerback group looks set, but with questions surrounding Eric Stokes and a lack of depth beyond the expected starters, cornerback could be a sneaky add for the Packers.
Green Bay has a true star lockdown corner in Jaire Alexander, Gutekunst’s first-ever selection as general manager. Alexander has quickly become one of the best corners in the game, and last year he added more ball-hawking abilities to his already impressive resumé. The Packers have their CB1, so corner isn’t an immediate area of need.
Beyond that, things are slightly less clear.
Rasul Douglas was a diamond-in-the-rough find for the Packers and a testament to their pro-scouting team. Douglas struggled early in 2022 when asked to play in the slot. But he found his consistency when injuries led to him playing more in his natural role on the boundary. Despite discussion about moving him to safety, Matt LaFleur expects Douglas to be starting on the boundary in 2023.
But that doesn’t mean he’ll stay there all season. Douglas has the smarts and skills to be a solid starting safety, and the Packers don’t have much proven depth there. Douglas could see time at safety depending on how the draft and subsequent season fall.
Keisean Nixon looks like Green Bay’s starting slot corner after re-signing with the team on a one-year deal. Nixon made a name for himself as a returner last season, but he also played some valuable snaps on defense. But Nixon is only under contract for one more year.
One of the biggest stories to follow this season will be on how 2021 first-rounder Eric Stokes returns from his significant ankle injury.
Stokes had an impressive rookie season after injuries forced him into the lineup. It didn’t take long for him to overtake Kevin King‘s spot on the depth chart. But he struggled in 2022. His quarterback rating when targeted went from a respectable 71.3 as a rookie to a poor 123.5 in his second year. By the time he was injured in Week 9, he’d become a target opposing quarterbacks liked to pick on.
The hope is 2022 was an anomaly and Stokes can get back to playing good football. But his road from recovery may not be swift. Stokes may not be back by Week 1, and he’ll need to shake off rust and get back up to football speed.
The key to Stokes’ game is in his electric speed. Stokes is an athletic monster and can chase down the league’s fastest receivers. But coming off of a major ankle injury, he could potentially lose some of that speed. A Stokes missing his best trait while also needing to clean up his fundamentals isn’t ideal for a Green Bay defense that needs serious improvement.
The hope is Stokes can recover nicely and go back to his promising rookie development. He deserves every chance to show he’s a starting corner, and he’ll certainly get it. But the Packers need to consider all possibilities. If Stokes isn’t their guy or if Douglas is needed at safety (or the team moves on following the season) then corner looks like a need.
Beyond Alexander, Douglas, Nixon, and Stokes, the Packers don’t have much depth. Corey Ballentine, Tyrell Ford, Benjie Franklin, Shemar Jean-Charles, and Kiondre Thomas round out the group.
Gutekunst will certainly draft a cornerback at some point. But if one of the draft’s star corners fall into their draft range, it wouldn’t be at all surprising to see him take on in the first round. Since becoming GM in 2018, he’s taken three defensive backs in the first round. He also took the ill-fated Josh Jackson in the second round of 2018. Gutekunst loves athletic defensive backs.
If a top lockdown prospect like Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez or Penn State’s Joey Porter Jr. somehow fall into the teens, don’t be surprised if Gutey pounces. The need may not be immediate, but the Packers could look to build an elite secondary to make life easier while Jordan Love adjusts to the starting role. In a pass-happy league, it’s never a bad thing to be able to shut down opposing passers.
They’ll still likely address other areas of need, especially since there should be exciting offensive tackle, edge, and wide receiver prospects available at 15. But you never know how the board will fall and how teams trading up for quarterbacks could shift the board. It wouldn’t be at all surprising to see Gutekunst take a first-round cornerback if the right one falls to them.
