Green Bay Packers cornerback Carrington Valentine is entering the final year of his rookie contract, but right now his chances of getting a new deal with the Packers can best be summed up by Jürgen Klopp’s famous quote that became a meme: “I’ll be honest… it’s not looking good.”
Still, Valentine allowed the lowest completion percentage of his career in 2025 at 54.1%. He also ranked among the NFL’s top-five cornerbacks in average yards of separation on targets at just two yards. The only players in that tier were Derek Stingley Jr., Patrick Surtain II, and Quinyon Mitchell.
However, the 2023 seventh-round pick allowed six touchdowns, tied for the 11th-most among cornerbacks, while posting the highest missed-tackle rate of his career. His struggles as a tackler eventually became too much to ignore, and the Packers benched him late in the season because of his ineffectiveness in run support.
The Packers have five cornerbacks under contract through 2027, including Brandon Cisse, Benjamin St-Juste, Domani Jackson, and Carrington Valentine. That gives them the flexibility to let Valentine’s 2026 season play out before making a long-term decision, without feeling rushed.
There’s an interesting competition between Valentine and Cisse to determine who has the higher ceiling as a pure pass defender. Valentine has been doing it in the pros for some time now, but I prefer Cisse’s long-term projection.
Valentine’s biggest hurdle to earning a second contract is his run defense. Unless he makes noticeable progress in that area, I have a hard time seeing Brian Gutekunst commit to him long term.
The reason is that the cornerback position has little room for specialization. An edge rusher can stay on the field and earn a lucrative contract by being an elite pass rusher, even if he’s only average against the run, because his primary job is getting after the quarterback.
Cornerbacks don’t have that luxury. Teams expect them to lock down receivers and defend the run. If Valentine can’t become a more reliable run defender, it will be difficult to justify a long-term investment, regardless of how well he covers.
I’m not sure how much playing time Valentine will see this season. I expect Keisean Nixon to open the year as the starter opposite St-Juste because he’s a much more reliable tackler and run defender. As for Cisse, I don’t anticipate Green Bay giving him much responsibility immediately.
That could leave Carrington Valentine in a rotational role early in the season. He will likely see the field primarily in obvious passing situations where his coverage ability can shine. At the same time, those snaps should give him plenty of opportunities to show he’s improved as a wrap-up tackler. If he proves he can be more dependable against the run, it will strengthen his case for a second contract.
