The cornerback position in Green Bay has been under the microscope for a while now, and for good reason. Ever since it became clear that the Packers were preparing to move on from Jaire Alexander a year ago, the spotlight has been fixed on how Brian Gutekunst would rebuild the room. Fast forward to now, and while the decision to cut ties with Alexander looks justified-he’s currently out of the league after a brief and underwhelming stint with the Ravens-the results of the cornerback overhaul have been a mixed bag.
The headline move was signing Nate Hobbs in free agency, a $48 million investment that was supposed to stabilize the position. But Hobbs’ season never really got off the ground.
He battled injuries from training camp onward, and even when he was on the field, the performance didn’t match the price tag. That’s not what the Packers envisioned when they brought him in to be a key piece of the secondary.
Carrington Valentine, entering his third season, didn’t take the leap many hoped for. Meanwhile, Keisean Nixon continued to be a polarizing figure among fans-some see him as a liability, others as a serviceable starter.
The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. Nixon isn’t a star, but given the value of his contract, he’s providing decent return as a starting corner in the right scheme.
All of this brings us to the present, where cornerback is once again a question mark heading into the 2026 season. But here’s the twist: don’t expect a major shake-up.
Why? Because before Micah Parsons went down with injury, the Packers’ pass coverage unit-corners included-was holding up just fine.
The defense was built with Parsons in mind. His presence up front allowed the corners to play more aggressively, knowing they wouldn’t have to stay in coverage for long stretches.
And when that formula was in place, it worked. The expectation is that Parsons will return early in 2026, which could restore that balance and take pressure off the back end.
From a roster standpoint, it’s hard to see the Packers making big changes at corner. Nixon’s contract is team-friendly, and he’s proven he can hold his own in the right situations.
Hobbs, despite a disappointing first year, is still a major investment. It’s not Gutekunst’s style to pull the plug on a free agent signing after just one season, especially when injuries played such a big role.
Valentine, still on a rookie deal, is cheap depth at worst.
Then there’s Javon Bullard, who showed real growth in the slot during his second year. That development gives Green Bay some stability inside, reducing the urgency to add another slot corner.
Given all that, Gutekunst may simply hand this group over to defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon and ask him to make it work. The Packers aren’t sitting on a mountain of cap space, and the free agent market isn’t exactly overflowing with can’t-miss cornerback talent. So while fans may be clamoring for a splashy move, the front office might opt for a more measured approach.
That said, the draft is where we could-and probably should-see some activity. Green Bay hasn’t used a top-three-round pick on a corner since 2021, when they selected Eric Stokes in the first round.
Before that, it was Alexander and Josh Jackson in Gutekunst’s first year. It’s time to dip back into that well.
A relatively early pick at cornerback should be on the table, even if the Packers are without a first-rounder this year. The challenge is balancing that need with others-particularly on the defensive line, where the team may be more desperate for an immediate-impact player.
One possible strategy? Go volume.
Draft multiple corners throughout the middle and late rounds, and hope one of them hits. But let’s be real: how likely is it that a rookie picked outside the top 50 is going to come in and unseat a veteran starter right away?
It’s not impossible, but it’s not the kind of bet you build a defense around.
Of course, the pressure of being in a championship window could push Gutekunst toward more aggressive changes. But if history is any guide, don’t be surprised if the only new faces in the cornerback room this offseason come via the draft-and even then, they might be more about depth and development than immediate transformation.