GREEN BAY, Wis. – Last year, the Green Bay Packers kicked off the season against the Philadelphia Eagles. Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes were the starting cornerbacks. Combined, they played 143 of a possible 152 snaps. The season ended against the Eagles. With Alexander injured and Stokes on the bench, they played one snap.
Neither Alexander (traded or released) nor Stokes (free agent) are expected to return in 2025. While the Packers reached the playoffs with Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine as the starters, there is a lot to do at cornerback.
Packers Depth Chart
Keisean Nixon: Laugh all you want about Nixon’s desire to be “CB1” in 2025, but that’s what he was in 2024. He wasn’t great but he was about the least of the team’s problems. In 17 games (15 starts), he had one interception, seven passes defensed, three forced fumbles and three sacks. Last year, 108 cornerbacks played at least 232 coverage snaps (Alexander’s number, which will be the basis for this story). According to PFF, he ranked 80th in completion percentage, 56th in snaps per completion and 77th in passer rating (99.7 with five touchdowns allowed).
Carrington Valentine: A seventh-round pick in 2023, Valentine played in 15 games with seven starts. He intercepted two passes, broke up five and forced two fumbles. He had an interception or forced fumble in four consecutive games. What he lacks in high-end traits, he makes up for in combativeness. According to PFF, he ranked 105th in completion percentage (79.3) but 14th in snaps per completion and 20th in passer rating (79.9 with zero touchdowns allowed).
Kamal Hadden: A sixth-round pick by the Chiefs in 2024, he spent the season on Green Bay’s practice squad. He played on special teams in two games. He was a playmaker at Tennessee with three interceptions and 11 passes defensed in only seven games in 2023.
Kalen King: A seventh-round pick by the Packers in 2024, he spent the entire season on Green Bay’s practice squad and did not play. He was an All-American at Penn State in 2022 but had a dismal final season.
Isaiah Dunn: Dunn intercepted zero passes and broke up 18 in four seasons at Oregon State. He went undrafted in 2021 and has played in 17 games with one start. The Packers signed him to a futures deal at the end of the season.
Kaleb Hayes: The Packers signed him to a futures deal at the end of the season, as well. He had zero interceptions and 27 passes defensed in four seasons at Oregon State and BYU. He entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2023 and has not played in a game.
Packers Free-Agent Outlook
Eric Stokes: The team’s first-round pick in 2021, Stokes had a promising rookie year but his career has fallen off a cliff. He has not so much as broken up a pass since his rookie year. According to PFF, he ranked 40th in completion percentage, 44th in snaps per completion and 66th in passer rating (96.7). Really, he played pretty good coverage. He just didn’t make any plays. While he stayed healthy in 2024, the foot injury at Detroit in 2022 might wind up being the demise of his career.
Corey Ballentine: The Packers re-signed Ballentine last offseason after he started six games – his first starts since 2020. In 2024, he played in 15 games with one start and recorded six tackles (two on defense, four on special teams) and a forced fumble. He played 76 snaps on defense and 195 on special teams. He was a sixth-round pick in 2019.
Robert Rochell: A fourth-round pick by the Rams in 2021, Rochell played in 11 games in 2024. He played one snap on defense and 121 on special teams, where he was in on two tackles.
Best Available Free Agents
Here is our ranking of the top available free agents. The coverage rankings are based on the 108 cornerbacks who played at least 232 coverage snaps, which is how many Jaire Alexander played. (Ages are in parentheses and are for Week 1 of the upcoming season.)
Charvarius Ward, 49ers (29): Ward was second-team All-Pro in 2023, when he intercepted five passes and led the NFL with 23 passes defensed. In 2024, he played in 12 games with zero interceptions and five passes defensed. The death of his daughter was the major reason for his dropoff. According to PFF, he ranked 36th in completion percentage, 34th in snaps per completion and in 99th passer rating (119.1 with five touchdowns allowed). He was 16th in completion percentage and sixth in rating in 2023.
Paulson Adebo, Saints (26): A third-round pick in 2021, Adebo has 10 interceptions and 43 passes defensed in four seasons. That includes three interceptions and 10 passes defensed in seven games in 2024, a season ruined by a broken leg. According to PFF, he ranked 28th in completion percentage, 101st in snaps per completion and seventh in passer rating (67.0 with one touchdown allowed). He was guilty of nine penalties in those seven games, though.
Byron Murphy, Vikings (27): The first pick of the second round of the 2019 draft, Murphy had five interceptions in four seasons with the Cardinals but nine the past two years with Minnesota, highlighted by a position-high six in 2024. He added 14 passes defensed to be a first-time Pro Bowler. According to PFF, he ranked 90th in completion percentage, 87th in snaps per completion and 22nd in passer rating (80.9, with four touchdowns allowed). Only two corners in the entire NFL gave up more yards.
Minnesota Vikings cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. (7) intercepts a pass intended for Packers wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks.
Minnesota Vikings cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. (7) intercepts a pass intended for Packers wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks. / Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Asante Samuel, Chargers (25): A second-round pick in 2021, Samuel has six interceptions and 37 passes defensed in 50 four seasons. He had double-digits passes defensed in each of his first three seasons but was limited to only four games in 2024 by a shoulder injury that will need vetting. In 2023, when he played in all 17 games with 16 starts, he allowed a 64.7 percent catch rate with four touchdowns, two interceptions and a 98.0 rating. He is a terrible tackler.
Carlton Davis, Lions (28): After six solid seasons with the Buccaneers, Davis was sent to the Lions. In 13 games, he intercepted two passes and had nine passes defensed. He’s never played more than 14 games in a season, including 20 missed games the past four seasons. According to PFF, he ranked 29th in completion percentage, 74th in snaps per completion and 39th in passer rating (87.9 with one touchdown allowed). Known for man coverage, he allowed a 58.6 passer rating in zone. He was guilty of eight penalties.
Nate Hobbs, Raiders (26): A fifth-round pick in 2021, Hobbs has three interceptions and 19 passes defensed in four seasons. In 11 games (seven starts) in 2024, he intercepted one pass with five passes defensed. According to PFF, he ranked 74th in completion percentage, 78th in snaps per completion and 64th in passer rating (96.3). He played mostly in the slot but also corner and in the box. Remarkably, he was not penalized.
Kristian Fulton, Chargers (27): A second-round pick in 2020, Fulton has five interceptions and 32 passes defensed in his career. He joined the Chargers last season and intercepted one pass with seven breakups in 15 games (14 starts). According to PFF, he ranked 65th in completion percentage, 61st in snaps per completion and 90th in passer rating (108.5 with five touchdowns allowed). He was guilty of nine penalties but is a solid tackler.
Darius Slay, Eagles (34): “Big-Play Slay” remains a big-time player. In 14 games (all starts), he had zero interceptions but 13 passes defensed. In 12 years, he has 28 interceptions, highlighted by his league-leading eight with 26 passes defensed with the Lions in 2017. According to PFF, he ranked fourth in completion percentage (50.0), 27th in snaps per completion and 17th in passer rating (78.3 with two touchdowns allowed). He is a solid tackler.
Rasul Douglas, Bills (30): Douglas had 14 interceptions with the Packers and Bills in 2021 through 2023 but didn’t have any with just five passes defensed in 15 games (all starts) in 2024. According to PFF, he ranked in 103rd completion percentage, 40th in snaps per completion and 102nd in passer rating (123.7 with three touchdowns allowed). He was guilty of nine penalties. He has always been a top tackler at the position.
Donte Jackson, Steelers (29): A second-round pick in 2018, Jackson intercepted a career-high five passes in his lone season for Pittsburgh. According to PFF, he ranked 30th in completion percentage, 27th in snaps per completion and sixth in passer rating (66.9 with three touchdowns allowed). He is not a good tackler. He allowed the second-best zone coverage passer rating.
Bargain Buys
Benjamin St-Juste, Commanders (28): A third-round pick in 2021, St-Juste brings elite size to the secondary at 6-foot-3. He started 30 games the past two seasons. His lone interception came in 2023, when he broke up 17 passes. In 2024, he had seven passes defensed in 17 games (14 starts). According to PFF, he ranked 51st in completion percentage, 83rd in snaps per completion and 87th in passer rating (107.0 with four touchdowns allowed). He was guilty of nine penalties but is a good tackler.
Ahkello Witherspoon, Rams (30): After starting all 17 games in his debut season for the Rams in 2023, the 6-foot-2 veteran started five times in 13 games in 2024 and had one interception and nine passes defensed. According to PFF, he ranked 84th in completion percentage, 82nd in snaps per completion and 82nd in passer rating (103.1 with two touchdowns allowed). He allowed the fourth-lowest completion percentage in 2023.
Los Angeles Rams cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon (4) intercepts a pass with 42 seconds left against the Arizona Cardinals.
Los Angeles Rams cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon (4) intercepts a pass with 42 seconds left against the Arizona Cardinals. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Adoree Jackson, Giants (29): A first-round pick in 2017, Jackson has only four interceptions in eight seasons. In 2024, he had zero interceptions and five passes defensed while starting five of 14 appearances. However, PFF’s numbers tell a more nuanced story. He ranked 13th in completion percentage, 12th in snaps per completion and 57th in passer rating (93.8 with two touchdowns allowed).
Stephon Gilmore, Vikings (34): Gilmore keeps signing one-year contracts. Chances are he will be playing for a sixth team in six seasons in 2025. For the Vikings, he started all 15 appearances and had one interception and nine passes defensed. According to PFF, he ranked 64th in completion percentage, 67th in snaps per completion and 73rd in passer rating (99.4 with five touchdowns). He gave up just 9.8 yards per catch, though.
Brandon Stephens, Ravens (27): A third-round pick in 2021, Stephens started all but one game the past two seasons. Both career interceptions came in 2023. In 2024, he had zero interceptions but 10 passes defensed. According to PFF, he ranked 77th in completion percentage, 64th in snaps per completion and 88th in passer rating (107.4 with four touchdowns allowed). Only one cornerback gave up more yards.
Jourdan Lewis, Cowboys (30): Lewis intercepted one pass with eight passes defensed in 2024 and has 10 picks in eight seasons with Dallas. Other than 2022, he missed zero or one game every season of his career. According to PFF, he ranked 87th in completion percentage, 65th in snaps per completion and 73rd in passer rating (99.4 with three touchdowns allowed).
Mike Hughes, Falcons (28): A first-round pick in 2018, Hughes had never started more than six games in a season until getting the nod in 15 for the Falcons in 2024. He had zero interceptions and six passes defensed. According to PFF, he ranked 71st in completion percentage, 55th in snaps per completion and 70th in passer rating (98.7 with two touchdowns allowed).
Jonathan Jones, Patriots (31): Jones has 11 interceptions in nine seasons. After picking off four passes with 11 passes defensed in 2022, Jones the last two seasons cobined has zero interceptions and 13 passes defensed. According to PFF, he ranked 102nd in completion percentage, 71st in snaps per completion and 107th (next-to-last) in passer rating (146.8 with five touchdowns allowed).
Draft Reclamation
Caleb Farley, Panthers (26): Farley had injury concerns coming out of Virginia Tech. A first-round pick by the Titans in 2021, he missed most of his rookie year with a torn ACL and the second half of 2022 with a back injury that required surgery and kept him out for all of 2023. He joined the Panthers in 2024 and wound up playing in nine games with one start. In 21 career games (three starts), he has zero interceptions and one pass breakup.
According to PFF, his career numbers include a 75.8 percent completion rate and 149.4 passer rating.
Wild Card
D.J. Reed, Jets (28): Reed isn’t a wild card around the NFL. He’s going to get a big payday. A fifth-round pick in 2018, Reed has six career interceptions and has broken up 42 passes the past four seasons. In 2024, he started all 14 appearances. While he didn’t intercept a pass, he broke up 11. According to PFF, he ranked 20th in completion percentage, 26th in snaps per completion and 50th in passer rating (91.7 with two touchdowns allowed). He was guilty of 11 penalties, fourth-most among all corners.
The Packers don’t draft short cornerbacks. At 5-foot-9 1/8, the Packers might not have even evaluated him coming out of Kansas State. But they are less tied to measurables with veteran players. Xavier McKinney’s mediocre Relative Athletic Score might have mattered before the 2020 draft but it certainly didn’t matter during 2024 free agency.
With sub-60 percent catch rates three of the last four years, Reed will be a hot commodity. Will the Packers have the least bit of interest?
How can the #Packers improve at receiver when most of the free agents grab a cup of Gatorade to wash down the Metamucil? ⬇️https://t.co/tUnL25dtSP
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) March 10, 2025