The Green Bay Packers are slowly running out of options to play their nickel cornerback role after yet another concerning injury at 2026 training camp.
According to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, Packers safety Javon Bullard — the team’s starting nickel defender — sported a walking boot on his right foot during August 10’s practice and did not participate in the session after dropping out with an injury one day earlier.
Bullard appeared to injure his foot while working with the first-team defense during the 11-on-11 period of August 9’s practice, coming off the field to speak with one of the team trainers on the sideline and sitting out for the remainder of Sunday afternoon’s session.
The new injury to Bullard leaves the Packers without either of their top nickel corners at practice heading into the first week of the 2026 preseason. Jonathan Baldwin, who had taken snaps in the slot with the 2s over the first two weeks, also suffered a knee injury last week in practice, prompting the Packers to waive him with an injury designation.
Kitan Oladapo — a two-year backup with 136 career defensive snaps played — took first-team snaps at the nickel role in Bullard’s place during Sunday’s and Monday’s practices.
Update (2:45 p.m. ET): Demovsky reports that Bullard characterized his foot injury as “just a bruise” and walked around the locker room without his boot after practice.
Packers Dealing With Multiple Injuries in Secondary
Bullard is the latest addition to the Packers’ DNP (did not practice) list, but he isn’t the only member of their secondary currently missing practice time with an injury issue.
The Packers also did not have cornerbacks Carrington Valentine or Domani Jackson available at August 10’s practice. Valentine has now missed more than a week with a hamstring injury that he sustained at August 2’s practice, while Jackson — a sixth-round rookie — is still out with an undisclosed injury that sidelined him in the spring.
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur had indicated the team would start working Jackson back into the mix following their Family Night practice at Lambeau Field last Friday, but it is still unclear whether the former Alabama cornerback will return this week.
“Hopefully after Family Night we can start giving him more,” LaFleur said August 6. “He’s a younger player who is missing some valuable time, for sure.”
The Packers made do at Monday’s practice with Keisean Nixon, rookie Brandon Cisse and Benjamin St-Juste as their primary cornerbacks in team periods, but it remains to be seen if their string of secondary injuries will motivate them to sign outside talent.
Kitan Oladapo Gets Big Opportunity Amid Injuries
The Packers have not shared details about Bullard’s injury or how long they expect him to remain sidelined at practice, but the walking boot on his right foot suggests that he will need to spend at least some time on rehabilitation before he is ready to return.
While Bullard is out, though, Oladapo has a big opportunity to seize a role for 2026.
Oladapo — a 2024 fifth-round pick — occupied the No. 4 safety role on the depth chart over his first two years behind Xavier McKinney, Evan Williams and Zayne Anderson, playing nearly two-thirds of his 400 total snaps on special teams, but he has started to earn his keep as a more significant defensive contributor in the first two weeks of camp.
Not only has Oladapo made a strong case to start the season as the Packers’ top backup safety behind the starters, but he has also shown off his ability to play in the nickel role, emphasizing the value of his versatility as the Packers map out their defense for 2026.
While the Packers are still roughly three weeks away from needing to trim down their roster to the 53-man limit, Oladapo may not need more than one preseason game to solidify himself as a solid lock to make the roster if he keeps up the strong outings.
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