Old friend likely won't return to address Packers key need after pointed social media post seemed to shut the door on a reunion

Why it probably won't happen

Rasul Douglas is 30 and will be 31 by Week 1. That per se brings a risk for the cornerback position, a volatile spot where players tend to regress fast. The veteran showed signs of regression last year for the Buffalo Bills, with his worst PFF grade (59.2), coverage grade (58.9), passer rating allowed when targeted (123.7), number of pass breakups (3), penalties (9), and yards per reception (12.0) since at least 2021.

Douglas played parts of three seasons in Green Bay at a high level, but that doesn't guarantee he is still a good fit. That happened under Joe Barry, and current defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley runs a completely different scheme, which demands a different skill set from his corners.

Moreover, Gutekunst rarely brings players back. When he decides to part ways with someone, the chances of that player returning at some point are slim.

Back in 2023, ahead of the trade deadline, the Packers moved Douglas to the Bills for a swap of third- and fifth-round picks, presuming that the team wouldn't be as competitive while Douglas was still relatively young. At that point, the Packers were 2-5 and had lost four consecutive games.

Green Bay ended up winning seven of the last 10 games and making the playoffs, where it also beat the Dallas Cowboys and reached the divisional round. However, a reunion now seems like an idea that the Packers wouldn't philosophically entertain.

A third-round pick in 2017, Rasul Douglas played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Carolina Panthers, Las Vegas Raiders, and Houston Texans to start his career. Back in 2021, he was with the Arizona Cardinals' practice squad when the Packers signed him. He established himself as a good starting cornerback and received a three-year extension from Green Bay, but got traded to the Bills at the midway point of the deal. After a season and a half in Buffalo, Douglas' contract expired and he's still free to sign elsewhere.