The Green Bay Packers lost a great deal of cornerback depth this offseason. While key contributors at the position, Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine, will be back, others were allowed to depart in free agency. The most notable of these was former first round pick Eric Stokes, who signed with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Stokes, of course, saw the Packers decline his fifth-year option after he struggled to stay healthy in 2022 and 2023. While he played all 17 games in 2024, his level of production fell far short of that from his rookie campaign in 2021, which saw him breakup 14 passes and hold opposing quarterbacks to a sub-50% completion percentage when targeting him.
In addition to Stokes, key special teams players Corey Ballentine and Robert Rochelle also signed elsewhere. Ballentine signed with the Indianapolis Colts while Rochelle inked a deal with the Kansas City Chiefs. However, Rochelle was recently released and is still a free agent.
The Green Bay Packers Do Not Know If Jaire Alexander Will Be Back in 2025
While Green Bay lost three cornerbacks so far this offseason, they did add another one in Nate Hobbs, whom they had tried to acquire via trade on a couple of occasions prior to this offseason. Hobbs can line up on the boundary or in the slot, which is good for the Packers since they are unsure of what their future holds when it comes to two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander.
Aside from the disgruntled star stating that he is unsure if he will be back in Green Bay this year, the Packers have had plenty of reason to plan for a future without him on the field.
Over the last four seasons, the two-time Second Team All-Pro has played in exactly half of Green Bay’s regular season games (34 out of a possible 68). Additionally, injuries in 2023 and 2024 limited him to just 14 of the Packers’ last 34 regular season games.
Without question, Alexander is one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL when he is healthy. The problem, though, is that he has not been healthy very often.
The Green Bay Packers Have Signed Cornerback Gregory Junior
Nov 19, 2023; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Gregory Junior (34) warms up before a game against the Tennessee Titans at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
As the Packers navigate the offseason, attempting to find common ground with Alexander, they also are trying to replenish their cornerback depth. Micah Robinson was drafted by Green Bay in the seventh round of this year’s NFL Draft, but they apparently also wanted to add another veteran.
On Wednesday, the team announced that they had signed former Jacksonville Jaguars sixth rounder Gregory Junior:
“The Green Bay Packers signed CB Gregory Junior and released CB Kaleb Hayes. The moves were announced Wednesday by General Manager Brian Gutekunst.
Junior (6-0, 203), a second-year player out of Ouachita (wash-i-tah) Baptist University, was originally selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the sixth round (No. 197 overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft. He played in 10 games for the Jaguars in 2022-23, recording 17 tackles (11 solo), two tackles for a loss and a pass defensed.
“After being released by Jacksonville during the 2024 training camp, Junior spent time on the practice squads of the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans. He played in 44 games at OBU (2017-21), totaling 129 tackles (91 solo), 17 passes defensed, five tackles for loss and an interception. Junior was the first-ever draft pick in the history of the school.
“He will wear No. 38 for the Packers.”