Packers Secondary Will Be Challenged Throughout 2024

With training camp just over a week away, there are a few areas the Green Bay Packers have to iron out. A lot of people will be keeping an eye on the secondary.

There are two things we know when it comes to the back end of Jeff Hafley’s defense. Jaire Alexander will be starting at one cornerback spot and Xavier McKinney will be one of the starting safeties.

Beyond that, a lot is up for grabs. The Packers would love to see former first-round pick Eric Stokes remain healthy and lock down the cornerback spot opposite of Alexander.

At safety, second-round pick Javon Bullard seems to have the inside trade as McKinney’s running mate. His versatility should play well alongside McKinney for the scheme Hafley is looking to install.

Figuring things out in the secondary will be imperative for the Packers to find success in 2024. The NFL has become an aerial league; if you cannot slow down the passing game, you will not find success.

Luckily for the Packers, they have a budding pass rush to take pressure off the secondary. Preston Smith, Rashan Gary, Lukas Van Ness, Kingsley Enagbare, Kenny Clark, Devonte Wyatt and Karl Brooks is a daunting front to deal with.

Them getting after the quarterback will greatly aid the secondary, as they will have their hands full all season. As shared by Paul Bretl of Packers Wire, they are going to be facing off with the best wide receivers in the NFL.

Yards per route run has become a popular statistic to judge how efficient and productive a wide receiver is. In 2024, the Packers are going to be facing off against nine out of the top 10 players on that list from 2023.

When taking into account the top 25, the Packers will be facing off against 16 of them. Four of them, Justin Jefferson, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Keenan Allen and D.J. Moore, are in the NFC North and makeup nearly half of the team’s schedule.

Four of the wide receivers picked in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, Marvin Harrison Jr., Rome Odunze, Brian Thomas Jr. and Ricky Pearsall, are also on the Packers schedule this season.

The Packers are fortunate to have a true No. 1, lockdown corner in Alexander. His health will be paramount to this secondary holding up against a gauntlet of elite wide receivers.

Stokes staying healthy and regaining his rookie form would do wonders for this unit as well. Corey Ballentine and Carrington Valentine will be challenged as well.

If this group can hold up throughout the 2024 regular season, they will be battle-tested for what the Packers hope is a deep postseason run.

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