Should the Packers make a move?
It’s no secret that the Green Bay Packers have a cornerback problem, especially with Jaire Alexander out of the lineup due to injury.
Alexander’s absence has forced the Packers to give Eric Stokes more playing time, but he is having a tough season. According to PFF, Stokes hasn’t broken up or intercepted a single pass while allowing 301 yards, three touchdowns, and a 108.8 passer rating in his coverage.
The former first-round pick faces an uncertain future with the Packers. The team declined his fifth-year option last offseason, making him a free agent next March.
An argument could be made for giving more snaps to Carrington Valentine over Stokes moving forward, but there’s no perfect solution to the Packers’ cornerback conundrum. Green Bay struck gold by signing Rasul Douglas off the Arizona Cardinals’ practice squad in 2021, but those kinds of free agency moves are rare.
The Packers may need to wait until the offseason to address their biggest need in the secondary, but one former Pro Bowler could provide a short-term fix.
Bleacher Report urges Packers to sign free-agent cornerback Patrick Peterson
Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder broke down the Packers’ biggest needs after their loss to the Detroit Lions on Thursday Night Football. Understandably, cornerback sits at the top of the list.
Holder believes the Packers should give eight-time Pro Bowler Patrick Peterson a workout to “see what he has left in the tank.”
“While the 34-year-old isn’t the player he used to be, he does have seven interceptions and 26 passes defended over the last two seasons combined. At this stage, that might be the club’s best option heading into the postseason,” writes Holder
While the immediate reaction to the possibility of signing a 34-year-old cornerback is to dismiss it, it’s not the worst idea and could make sense. As Holder points out, Peterson is no longer a Pro Bowl cornerback. That shouldn’t be the expectation.
But is he better than Stokes? Could he provide cover when the Packers’ preferred starting combination of Alexander and Keisean Nixon isn’t available?
Last season, Peterson proved he could still play. Per Pro Football Reference, while making 16 starts for the Pittsburgh Steelers, he allowed a completion percentage of just 59.4, 494 yards, four touchdowns, and a passer rating of 91.5 in his coverage. He also intercepted two passes and broke up 11.
It might not be an All-Pro level of play, but it’s better than Stokes’ production.
The Packers would need Peterson to come in as a backup, not a regular starter. He could sit behind Alexander, Nixon, and Valentine on the depth chart while providing quality cover when injuries hit.
It won’t change any offseason plans the Packers may have at the position, but signing Peterson could provide some short-term cover while they make a playoff run.