The Green Bay Packers have four games remaining on their 2024 regular season schedule. With a 9-4 record, they are very close to qualifying for a playoff berth. But injuries have been taking a toll on the Packers secondary in recent weeks. As a result, the Packers secondary is facing major depth issues heading down the stretch this season and must figure out a way to adjust and respond.
Packers Secondary Facing Major Depth Issues Heading Down the Stretch: The Injuries at CB
Injuries have hurt the Packers at cornerback this season. The team has missed their top cover corner, Jaire Alexander for nearly half the season. The Louisville alum has played in just seven of the team’s 13 games thus far this season. He’s also been limited in some of the games he’s managed to play.
Alexander remains the Packers best cover corner. When he’s healthy and playing at his best, he can severely limit the receiver he’s covering and take away one side of the field from opposing quarterbacks. Offensive coordinators and quarterbacks do have to change their play calling strategy to account for Alexander when he’s in the game.
Without Alexander, the Packers moved Keisean Nixon to the perimeter and played either Eric Stokes or Carrington Valentine opposite Nixon. There is a big drop in effectiveness with those three players compared to Alexander. Nixon is very inconsistent while Stokes has struggled mightily in coverage. Valentine has also struggled in coverage in recent games.
Without Alexander, defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley changes his approach to coverages and blitz patterns. It has a large impact on the way the defense plays.
Safety Injuries Are Now a Problem as Well
After the Packers Thursday night loss in Detroit, injuries started to mount at safety. Rookie Javon Bullard suffered an injury against the Lions and left the game early. While the exact extent of his injury was still not divulged to the media, he was seen after the game wearing a walking boot and leaving the locker room on crutches.
Bullard had been playing mostly slot corner in addition to some safety. He was struggling against Detroit before his injury.
Fellow rookie Evan Williams also left the game against the Lions due to a concussion. The Packers hope Williams will be available Sunday night when the Packers face the Seahawks. Williams has been a key component of the defense since he joined the starting lineup in October.
The team still has Xavier McKinney available, but they will need another starter opposite him and depth players as well if Williams can’t go.
Packers Secondary Facing Major Depth Issues Heading Down the Stretch: Options
At cornerback, the Packers have a tough choice to make between Valentine and Stokes. According to Pro-Football-Reference.com, opposing quarterbacks have completed 64.4 percent of their passes when throwing to receivers covered by Stokes and have a quarterback rating of 110.1. Meanwhile, Valentine has permitted quarterbacks to complete 81.3 percent of their passes. They have a quarterback rating of 118.7 when throwing to receivers covered by Valentine.
Head coach Matt LaFleur has limited options available besides that duo. Corey Ballentine has been dealing with injuries. Robert Rochell has never played a snap on defense in two seasons in Green Bay. The Packers elevated seventh-round pick Kalen King from the practice squad for the first time last week against Detroit, but he did not appear in the game. Kamal Hadden is also available on the practice squad.
Meanwhile, the safety depth is also questionable. Scouts consider veteran Zayne Anderson a liability in coverage. He’s on the roster primarily for his special teams prowess.
The only other healthy alternative on the roster is rookie Kitan Oladapo. The Oregon State product has played five games so far this season, but all of his snaps have come on special teams.
Clearly, the Packers defense needs to get as many of these injured players back in the lineup for the playoff run. The team needs to clinch a playoff berth and prepare to meet some tough opponents in the postseason. If they do, they will need a healthy Alexander, Bullard, and Williams to face dangerous receivers like the Lions, Vikings, and Eagles have.
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