While the Green Bay Packers are sitting at 1-2, they are not quite in selling mode on their roster. However, one player they could trade while continuing to compete is cornerback Carrington Valentine.
Valentine is a backup for the Packers, but his experience will drive some trade demand, according to Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report.
“While the Packers may not place much value on Valentine right now, other teams might,” wrote Knox. “He has 51 games and 30 starts on his resume and is still only 25 years old.”
Valentine is in the last year of his rookie contract. He would not get significant return in a trade, but the team could get something back for a player who is unlikely to play this season and then leave in free agency.
Green Bay Packers Could Trade CB Carrington Valentine
For being taken 232rd in the 2022 NFL draft, Valentine has had an impressive career. He got on the field as a rookie, which is hard to do given how late he was selected. He started 12 games as a rookie. However, he started because the team needed him, not because he earned it.
So, they replaced him and he started just seven games the following season. In year three, he started in 11 games. He has played in just 18 snaps so far this year, though. So, while he is a backup now, he seems to find his way into the lineup. It makes sense that the team would want to hold him as depth.
Still, the injuries and wear and tear of the season have teams more desperate now than they were in the offseason. A team could come in with an offer that would make Green Bay want to move on.
Packers Have Depth at Cornerback
Keisean Nixon was set as the starter ahead of Valentine. Then, second round rookie Brandon Cisse beat out Valentine for a starting spot this offseason. Cisse has been better than Nixon, so he is not giving up his job anytime soon.
They also signed Benjamin St-Juste in free agency this offseason. He is signed beyond this year, so they have more incentive to play him than Valentine if one of the starters got hurt.
If the Packers moved on from Valentine, they would also be given the chance to call up Domani Jackson from the practice squad. Jackson is a rookie sixth-round pick, so giving him the bump up might help his development.
It would not be a selling move to trade Valentine. They would not be hurting the starting lineup. They would also still have the depth at cornerback to get by. Still, they could recoup some draft capital. The question would be how much teams are willing to trade and what compensation the Packers would deem worthy of moving on from Valentine.
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