Packers' failure to address a key position in the offseason cost them the NFC North

The "cornerback" spot on the depth chart blared as a red flag. Brian Gutekunst and the Green Bay Packers did nothing to address it and it cost them the division.

What did Brian Gutekunst and Jeff Hafley see that the rest of us didn’t? Going into the 2024 NFL draft, the Green Bay Packers didn’t have enough quality NFL cornerbacks. Coming out of the draft, they didn’t either. And on Thursday night in a 34-31 loss to the rival Detroit Lions, guess what happened: they still didn’t. For as many wins as the Packers have had this season where we can point to free agency and make pithy comments like, “This game was won in March,” this game was lost in the offseason.

Injuries robbed the Packers of their preferred starting lineup. Jaire Alexander missed yet another game, but that’s been a troubling trend going back to 2021. Eric Stokes appeared unplayable, but circumstances press-gagged him into duty. He hasn’t had a pass breakup since the SEC Championship Game. That’s not actually true, but it sure feels like it. His play fell off in 2022 after a stellar rookie season, then a serious injury sapped him of a year of football.

When he came back last year, the former 4.2 40 speedster lacked explosiveness and confidence. He played passively with the ball in the air and rarely contested at the catch point. Only a drop saved him from getting burned once again by Sam LaPorta, one of the better tight ends in the league but still, a tight end. Tim Patrick, not exactly the fleetest afoot, worked him for the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Sure, he was only on the field because Javon Bullard got hurt, forcing Hafley to move Keisean Nixon back to the slot, but Stokes was Plan A on the boundary heading into the season! At the very least he was Plan 1A with Carrington Valentine 1B, but Valentine got hurt and Stokes played so unimpressively, Nixon moved outside, opposite Jaire Alexander.

This worked out because it allowed Evan Williams to take Bullard’s safety spot and put Bullard into the box where he’s a more natural nickel defender than Nixon. Williams plays a complementary style to Xavier McKinney. This clicked the pieces into place and Nixon was … fine as a boundary corner.