Carrington Valentine’s name is getting louder in trade chatter, and the Packers cornerback suddenly looks like one of the more interesting roster decisions in Green Bay.
Valentine’s NFL run has been uneven since the Packers grabbed him in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He has appeared in 49 games over three seasons in green and gold, making 30 starts along the way, and the production has been a mixed bag.
He has intercepted only two passes in that span, but he also showed some competence in coverage last season, finishing with four pass deflections and 31 combined tackles in 2026. PFF ranked him 44th among cornerbacks, which put him in the top 61st percentile among eligible players.
Even so, quarterbacks still managed a 109.4 passer rating when throwing his way last season, and that number has fueled concerns about whether he can hold up as Green Bay’s cornerback room gets deeper.
That uncertainty has opened the door for speculation around the league. Easton Butler of Packer Report said the Miami Dolphins, Cincinnati Bengals, and Pittsburgh Steelers have reached out to Green Bay to ask about Valentine’s availability. All three teams have had shifting secondaries in recent years, and Valentine fits the profile of a low-risk, high-upside addition.
What happens next depends on how the Packers view his place in a crowded competition.
Matt LaFleur has made it clear that every spot is being pushed right now, and cornerback is right at the center of that battle. Green Bay’s corners struggled with tackling last season, especially in run support during the 2025 campaign, and Valentine was part of that problem. If the Packers plan to lean more heavily on man coverage this year, that could work against him, since he has had a tougher time outside of zone looks.
There’s also a possible path the other way. If Jonathan Gannon’s defenses lean into a zone-heavy approach and Valentine sharpens up his run defense during training camp, his situation could improve. The fact that multiple teams have checked in on him also suggests some evaluators still see upside in his game, and Green Bay would like to see that development actually show up on the field.
For now, the most likely answer is still unsettled. Valentine probably wouldn’t bring back a major return because of his track record, but the Packers have a choice to make: keep him through the final year of his rookie deal and see if the growth comes, or decide the cornerback competition in camp and the preseason has already told them enough to move on.
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Matt LaFleur offered the first real explanation for Dennis-Suttons missed time, saying the rookie was dealing with overheating and then an illness rather than anything tied to conditioning. The update helps narrow the focus for a player whose camp availability has become a point of concern, even if the full picture around his early August setback still leaves one important question hanging for the Packers as they work through the rest of practice. [Read more 🡒]