GREEN BAY, Wis. — With or without Jaire Alexander, Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has options at cornerback.
Which was why when he spoke to reporters this week for the first time this offseason, Hafley wasn’t interested in discussing how his secondary might be better if Alexander is still on the roster when the 2025 season opens.
“I think we’ll leave that one up to see what happens rather than talk in any hypotheticals, to answer that fairly,” Hafley said.
“Whenever everything pans out and we figure out who’s here, we will do the very best we can to put them in great positions and making plays,” he added. “And when I find out we’ll do that.”
Alexander’s status remains in flux. Shortly after the season, it appeared both Alexander and the Packers wanted a fresh start. But when no trade offers to the Packers’ liking materialized, discussions began about keeping the former two-time All-Pro who has missed more games (20) than he has played in (14) over the past two seasons.
Still, no resolution has been reached, which gave Hafley and his defensive coaches time to consider life without Alexander, who has not been in attendance for voluntary in-person workouts so far this offseason.
Enter Nate Hobbs, the $48 million free agent the Packers signed in the offseason, and a few under-the-radar rookies, for Hafley & Co. to consider.
Despite cornerback being a perceived need, general manager Brian Gutekunst waited until the seventh and final round of the draft before he picked one. With the 237th overall selection, he drafted Tulane’s Micah Robinson. He signed two more cornerbacks as undrafted free agents, including one, Johnathan Baldwin, who received what was believed to be the most guaranteed money the Packers have even given to an undrafted rookie.
Without Alexander, the top three cornerbacks are Hobbs, Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine.
Hobbs has split time between the slot position in the nickel and as an outside cornerback.
“We’re going to have him do both,” Hafley said. “When you’re getting ready for free agency and you’re evaluating tape, it’s one thing that you love about him. He’s had a lot of success inside, and I thought his tape outside was equally as good. He is competitive, he’s tough, he is physical, he plays the game fast, you can tell he loves it. It just jumps off the tape.
“I don’t know if you guys watched any of it, but it certainly jumps off the tape the way the guy plays. And he’s been a great addition, and he does give you that versatility where you can move him around — and again, I’m a big fan of that.”
Nixon moved from primarily the nickel for most of his career to the outside last season, after which he expressed his desire to be a No. 1 cornerback. If Alexander isn’t on the team, that could become Nixon’s role.
The Packers also have Kalen King (a 2024 seventh-round pick), plus three other corners who signed futures deals this offseason: Isaiah Dunn, Kamal Hadden and Kaleb Hayes.
But the focus for the next several weeks will be on how it all fits together.
While Robinson was the only cornerback drafted, there’s just as much intrigue around Baldwin. The Packers gave Baldwin $115,000 in guaranteed money for the 2025 season. That’s believed to be nearly double their previous highest guarantee to an undrafted rookie.
“Micah had a good year this year at Tulane,” Hafley said. “He’s got great footspeed, he sees the game really well, he anticipates things, he’s very instinctive. I think he has a ton of upside and I’m excited to get to work with him.
“And Baldwin from UNLV, he’s a guy when you watch his tape, he’s another guy — he plays safety, he plays nickel, he’s physical, he’ll come up in the run game, he’s got really good ball skills, as Micah does. I’m a big fan of both of those guys. Both of those guys have a lot of ball production in college, which to me, as you guys know, is probably the most important thing, taking away the football.”