Packers Free Agents Stay or Go: Corey Ballentine
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers have 14 players who are scheduled to be unrestricted free agents this offseason, including Corey Ballentine.
Going in alphabetical order, our “Stay or Go” series will look at each of those players. Why should the Packers re-sign Ballentine? Why should they let him go? Is there a replacement on the roster? Could they get a compensatory draft pick in exchange?
Packers Should Re-Sign Corey Ballentine
You can never have enough cornerbacks. In 2021, Jaire Alexander missed most of the season with a shoulder injury. In 2022, Eric Stokes missed the second half of the season with an ankle injury. So, Green Bay’s depth has been tested.
A sixth-round pick by the Giants in 2019, Ballentine’s career totals include four starts on defense and 532 snaps on special teams. Speaking of special teams, well, we’ll get to that in a bit.
Packers Should Let Ballentine Sign Elsewhere
Promoted from the practice squad in November after Stokes went on injured reserve, Ballentine played 17 snaps on defense. According to Pro Football Focus and Sports Info Solutions, he gave up 2-of-2 passing for 14 yards and one touchdown.
Whatever. Not too much should be made of some garbage-time snaps at the end of a freezing-cold game against Minnesota.
However, with their usual salary-cap challenges, every dollar matters. Heading into Year 5, Ballentine would be eligible for a minimum salary of $1.08 million. Or, the Packers could round out the bottom of the depth chart with a rookie eligible for a minimum salary of $750,000. That’s a difference of $330,000 – pocket change in the grand scheme of things but that would cover the cost of several practice-squad elevations.
Who Would Replace Ballentine?
Anybody, really. Shemar Jean-Charles, a sixth-round pick in 2021, fell off the face of the earth last season but will be back for Year 3. Kiondre Thomas (who spent the year on the practice squad after a strong preseason), Benjie Franklin (who spent time on the practice squad) and Tyrell Ford (a first-round pick in the 2022 CFL Draft) signed futures contracts.
Could the Packers Gain a Compensatory Draft Pick for Ballentine?
No. Ballentine hasn’t done anything in his career to warrant that type of contract.
The Verdict on Corey Ballentine
Here’s the real case for re-signing Ballentine: The Packers’ special teams were supercharged with the All-Pro kick-returning exploits of cornerback Keisean Nixon. The Packers no doubt would love to keep him but it’s possible the asking price will be too high considering Nixon proved to be a solid slot defender, as well.
Ballentine boasts a career average of 23.8 yards per kickoff return. In 2020, he had a 66-yard return with the Jets. While with the Jets in the 2021 preseason, he broke a 73-yarder against Green Bay. He’s not Nixon but he’s not Amari Rodgers.
If Nixon departs, Ballentine wouldn’t be a bad Plan B for a team without any other natural returners on the roster.
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