Packers GM: Cornerback is ‘important for us to address’ this offseason
The cornerback position for the Green Bay Packers will almost certainly look different come the start the 2021 season.
Last month, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst pointed to the need for internal improvement at cornerback but also acknowledged it will be a position of priority this offseason.
“We are looking for some of those young players to take a jump. We’re going to need them to,” Gutekunst said, via the team’s official site. “But at the same time, I do think that’s an area that’s important for us to address moving forward.”
The Packers will enter the offseason with question marks up and down the cornerback depth chart.
Jaire Alexander, a second-team All-Pro and first-time Pro Bowler in 2020, will be back, and the Packers will lock him in through the 2022 season by exercising his fifth-year option between now and May. Behind Alexander, nothing is certain.
Kevin King, a starter for 25 games at cornerback over the last two seasons, is an unrestricted free agent. Combining his long history of injuries with a disappointing 2020 season, including a nightmare finish in the NFC title game, clouds his future in Green Bay. Although the Packers may want him back on a team-friendly deal, he could depart if the market values him more than the Packers believe he’s worth.
Chandon Sullivan, the team’s slot cornerback for all 16 games in 2020, is a restricted free agent. Although a breakout contributor in 2019, his up and down season as a first-year starter likely ensures he won’t receive the first- or second-round restricted tender, which would make him an unrestricted free agent come next Wednesday.
The internal options at cornerback provide only a glimmer of hope.
2018 second-round pick Josh Jackson has been a major disappointment over the last two seasons, playing fewer than 500 total defensive snaps over 26 games. He will enter the final year of his rookie deal in 2021. Without noticeable improvement, or at least subtle signs that he’s ready to contribute in something more than an emergency role, he’s not guaranteed to be on the initial 53-man roster.
Ka’dar Hollman, a draft pick in 2019, has played only 112 defensive snaps during his first two seasons. The sixth-round pick might never be more than a reserve player.
Both Jackson and Hollman were healthy scratches during the postseason. And while new defensive coordinator Joe Barry may provide a fresh start, the Packers brought back defensive backs coach Jerry Gray, so not much may change when it comes to preferences at cornerback.
Undrafted free agent Stanford Samuels and former Kansas City Chiefs draft pick KeiVarae Russell are signed to futures contracts. Kabion Ento will return after missing the entire 2020 season to an injury. Parry Nickerson, a former draft pick of the New York Jets, is a free agent.
If King is no longer a part of the team’s plans, the Packers may look to free agency to find a capable veteran to compete to start opposite Alexander. Also, keep in mind, Barry emphasized the importance of the nickel position during his introductory press conference, possibly upping the need to either bring back Sullivan or find an upgrade.
The draft will almost certainly play a part in rebuilding the position. In fact, the 29th overall pick in the first round looks very much in play for a cornerback. This is a team that has invested heavily at cornerback in the draft, particularly high in the draft. Misses over the years have left the position mostly vacant behind Alexander, the lone hit, entering this offseason.
Cornerback is a premium position, and great defenses almost always have a combination of disruptive pass-rushers up front and consistent coverage players at cornerback. The Packers won 13 games and fielded a top-10 scoring defense in 2020 without great cornerbacks behind Alexander. Upgrading the position this offseason – even if it means big changes, and spending big on new players – could be the key to taking the next step as a defense.
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