Grading the 2023 Packers: Jaire Alexander and Cornerbacks
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers entered 2023 with a premier duo of cornerbacks with Jaire Alexander and Rasul Douglas. Instead, with Alexander’s myriad of problems, the midseason trade of Douglas and injuries to Eric Stokes, the Packers’ top two in perimeter cornerback snaps were Carrington Valentine and Corey Ballentine.
Here is our season-ending report card for the cornerbacks. As always, our grades are based on a player’s value relative to the salary cap.
Jaire Alexander
2023 cap: $10,695,765. Position rank: 10th, according to OverTheCap.com.
A two-time All-Pro whose $21 million annual salary is the highest among cornerbacks in NFL history, Alexander was supposed to lead the secondary through words and deed. He did neither.
Alexander had a horrendous season. Injuries sidelined him for nine games. A suspension benched him for a 10th. So he didn’t play often. And he didn’t play well. After a career-high five interceptions in 2022, he had zero picks and five passes defensed in 2023.
Of 109 corners to play at least 250 coverage snaps, Alexander was 99th in catch rate (73.5 percent) and 103rd in passer rating (127.0), according to Pro Football Focus. Sports Info Solutions was a bit kinder, putting him at 64.5 percent. He allowed 8.4 yards per target and missed 16 tackles – an appalling 37.2 percent that was third-worst in the league. SIS charged him with two touchdowns and three dropped interceptions.
Allegedly, the suspension has the relationship on the right path, and he showed some of his vintage form when he fought through an ankle injury in the two playoff games.
“At the end of the day,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said last week, “it allowed us all to reset. I’m really proud of the way Jaire responded to that. I really think that’s going to help us moving forward.”
It might not be hyperbole to state the 2024 season will depend on it. Perhaps new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley and a more aggressive coverage style will restart Alexander’s fire.
Grade: F.
Eric Stokes
2023 cap: $3,252,413. Position rank: 43rd, according to OverTheCap.com.
What a disastrous year for the 2021 first-round pick. His 2022 ended with a foot injury; his 2023 was ruined by hamstring injuries. Stokes played in three games: at Denver in his season debut, which ended with a hamstring injury after a few snaps of special teams, and starts against Tampa Bay and Carolina, the second of which ended with another hamstring injury that ended his season.
As a rookie, Stokes allowed a 46.2 percent catch rate that was one of the best in the NFL, according to Sports Info Solutions. He had one interception and 14 passes defensed. In 12 total games in 2022 and 2023, he allowed a 73.3 percent completion rate with zero passes defensed. In 2023, he allowed three touchdowns – most among the Packers’ cornerbacks even while playing only 69 coverage snaps – according to PFF.
Based on Stokes’ rookie season, he should be in position to start in 2024. But, no different than receiver Christian Watson, he and the team must figure out how to keep him on the field.
Grade: F.
Keisean Nixon
2023 cap: $2,770,000. Position rank: 56th, according to OverTheCap.com.
You’ve got to hand it to Nixon. An undrafted free agent in 2019, he started two games on defense and returned six kicks in three seasons with the Raiders. With the Packers, he was the All-Pro kick returner and a valuable contributor on defense in 2022, then was the All-Pro kick returner and the No. 1 man in the slot for all 17 games in 2023. He had one interception and tied for third with six passes defensed.
Is Nixon the world’s best slot corner? No, not even close. But as the lone piece of stability, he was the least of Green Bay’s problems in a revolving-door secondary.
Of 109 corners to play at least 250 coverage snaps, Alexander was 107th in catch rate (81.8 percent) and 78th in passer rating (103.8), according to Pro Football Focus. At Sports Info Solutions, Nixon gave up a 73.3 percent catch rate, 7.6 yards per target and missed 20 tackles (20.2 percent). Both services charged him with two touchdowns.
Limiting it to slot work, 32 defensive backs played at least 200 coverage snaps, according to PFF. Nixon was 16th in rating (98.7), 22nd in yards per snap (1.25) and 31st in yards (535).
Can the Packers do better? Yes, and they should try to get that done. But there are bigger priorities.
As a returner, Nixon was No. 1 in the NFL with a 26.1-yard average on kickoff returns. On the other hand, he was second-from-last because only two players hit the mandated 20 returns to qualify among the leaders. He went from a 28.8 average on kickoff returns and 12.7 yards on punt returns in 2022 to 26.1 and 6.8 in 2023. He had a fumble against the Giants in the regular season and against the 49ers in the playoffs.
Grade: C.
Carrington Valentine
2023 cap: $775,165. Position rank: 172nd, according to OverTheCap.com.
A seventh-round pick and the 30th of 36 cornerbacks selected in the 2023 NFL Draft, Valentine turned in an impressive training camp and preseason to win a spot on the 53. He played in all 17 games with 12 starts. While he had zero interceptions, he led the team with nine passes defensed.
Of 109 corners to play at least 250 coverage snaps, Ballentine was 27th in catch rate (57.5 percent) and 35th in passer rating (84.1), according to PFF. He gave up 35-plus receiving yards in just two games. Sports Info Solutions had him at 51.1 percent and 6.6 yards per target with 10 missed tackles (20.0 percent). Both services charged him with one touchdown; it would have been two had Chargers rookie Quentin Johnston not dropped the potential-game winner.
Valentine outplayed his draft status by a mile. He’s athletic, feisty and fearless. It will be fascinating to see just how far he can raise his level of play and consistency. Presumably, the change in defensive styles will suit his game.
Grade: B.
Corey Ballentine
2023 cap: $574,444. Position rank: 218th, according to OverTheCap.com.
Ballentine went from zero to hero in one of those no-way-that’s-true type of seasons. A sixth-round pick by the Giants in 2019, he started two games as a rookie and two more games in 2020. Between Nov. 2, 2020, and Nov. 6, 2022, he played zero defensive snaps and changed teams four times.
He did more than just play in 2023. On Nov. 12, he started against Pittsburgh. It was his first start in more than three seasons. He wound up starting six games. He intercepted one pass and was second on the team with seven passes defensed. Ballentine didn’t even make the opening 53; the Packers would not have reached the playoffs without him.
Of 109 corners to play at least 250 coverage snaps, Ballentine was 37th in catch rate (59.2 percent) and 28th in passer rating (81.3), according to PFF. Sports Info Solutions had him at 50.0 percent and 5.9 yards per target with eight missed tackles (16.7 percent). Both services charged him with one touchdown.
Ballentine will be an unrestricted free agent.
Grade: B.
Robert Rochell
2023 cap: $574,444. Position rank: 218th, according to OverTheCap.com.
The Packers following their trade of Rasul Douglas took chances on Rochell, David Long and Kyu Blu Kelly as recently drafted cornerbacks. Only Rochell remained by season’s end. He played in nine regular-season games for the Packers, with zero snaps on defense and 112 on special teams. He made four tackles.
A fourth-round pick by the Rams in 2021 who started five games as a rookie, Rochell will be a restricted free agent. The Packers won’t tender him but it would make sense to bring him back.
Grade: C-minus.
