The Green Bay Packers have climbed to 5-3, but a winning record hasn’t erased the questions surrounding their cornerback depth. With the NFL trade deadline approaching, Green Bay has been named as a team that could use another experienced option in the secondary.
The Packers spent their first draft pick on Brandon Cisse in April, and the rookie has already earned a starting job. Keisean Nixon has held down the other spot, although an injury scare and uneven depth behind the starters have put the position back in the spotlight.
Packers Cornerback Trade Need Draws Five Potential Targets
In an Oct. 30 look at the needs of all 32 teams, CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards singled out cornerback as a position Green Bay could address before the deadline.
“Green Bay originally turned to Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine, but then second-round pick Brandon Cisse locked up a starting role. Nixon is now dealing with an injury, and play opposite Cisse has been inconsistent. The NFC North is hotly contested, so the Packers may be inclined to acquire reinforcements,” Edwards wrote.
He also listed five potential options: Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Riq Woolen, Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Donte Jackson, Tennessee Titans cornerback Alontae Taylor, Washington Commanders cornerback Amik Robertson and New York Jets cornerback Nahshon Wright.
These were suggested targets, rather than reports that Green Bay has contacted any of those teams.
Woolen is one of the more recognizable names. The former Seattle Seahawks cornerback made the Pro Bowl as a rookie in 2022 after tying for the league lead with six interceptions. He joined Philadelphia this offseason on a one-year, $12 million contract.
Woolen’s name has surfaced in trade speculation amid the Eagles’ 2-5 start. NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Dave Zangaro reported Oct. 30 that Woolen has heard the speculation but remains focused on his current team.
Taylor’s situation is also worth monitoring. The Titans signed him in free agency, but his transition to an outside cornerback role has not gone as planned. A change of scenery has become a possibility less than one season into his Tennessee tenure.
Keisean Nixon Injury Adds to Packers Cornerback Questions
Edwards’ concerns came after Nixon was added to Green Bay’s injury report with a shoulder issue before the Oct. 29 game against Carolina. He was listed as questionable, but ultimately played in the Packers’ 27-19 victory.
Nixon and Cisse each appeared on 72 of Green Bay’s 73 defensive snaps against the Panthers. Carolina finished with 176 net passing yards, while the Packers recorded six sacks.
Cisse, selected No. 52 overall out of South Carolina, has been one of Green Bay’s brighter developments. He recorded his first career interception against Dallas on Oct. 18 and has quickly become a regular in the lineup.
Behind the starters, Valentine and Benjamin St-Juste offer experience, but neither has held a full-time role in the defense this season. St-Juste also missed time with a hamstring injury before becoming available again against Carolina.
Green Bay has already appeared in another cornerback trade proposal, this one involving Eagles defender Kelee Ringo.
General manager Brian Gutekunst has until Nov. 10 to consider whether the current group is enough. Cisse’s emergence has given Green Bay a young starter to build around. The question raised by Edwards is how much the Packers trust the options behind him and Nixon as they push through a crowded NFC North race.
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