Three Big Questions Facing the Green Bay Packers Secondary Entering 2025

The Green Bay Packers are set to open training camp later this month. This is the next in a series of articles previewing the Packers position by position, analyzing the talent on the roster and discussing key questions that are facing the team as they begin preparation for the 2025 season. Today we will examine the secondary. We will examine another position each day until the start of training camp. To read our quarterbacks analysis, click here, for defensive tackles, click here, for running backs, click here, click here for linebackers, here for tight ends, here for defensive ends, and here for the offensive line. These are three big questions facing the Green Bay Packers secondary entering training camp in 2025:

The Projected Candidates: Starters: Keisean Nixon, Nate Hobbs, Xavier McKinney, Evan Williams. Backups: Carrington Valentine, Javon Bullard, Kalen King, Zayne Anderson, Kitan Oladapo; Fighting for roster spots: Johnathan Baldwin, Isaiah Dunn, Kamal Hadden, Tyron Herring, Gregory Junior, Micah Robinson, Kahzir Brown, Omar Brown

Three Big Questions Facing the Packers Secondary, Number One: Who Starts at Safety Opposite Xavier McKinney?

Xavier McKinney gave the Packers an All-Pro performance at safety last year. But two different rookies split the time at the other safety position in Javon Bullard and Evan Williams. When Williams started, Bullard moved to the slot.

The Packers played their best defense when Williams was in the lineup and Bullard did his best work in the slot. Still, the duo will be the two battling for starting job again this season.

Bullard will need to take a second-year jump to pass Williams on the depth chart. Both players will see time in the rotation, but this will be an interesting battle in training camp.

Number Two: Can the Packers Thrive at Cornerback without Jaire Alexander?

Jaire Alexander has been the Packers top cover corner since the team drafted him in 2018. Replacing him will be challenging, but since he’s only played 14 of the last 34 regular season games for the Packers, they’ve already proven they can survive without him.

The Packers starters on the boundary are likely to be Keisean Nixon and free agent addition Nate Hobbs. In obvious passing downs, Carrington Valentine could move to the boundary and Hobbs could move to the slot. That depends on whether Bullard wins the starting slot job.

As of now, none of these players are as good as Alexander was when he was healthy. Nixon enjoyed his best season as a cornerback last year but has to prove it was no fluke. Hobbs needs to step up and show that he is worth the big free agent contract that he signed this offseason. Meanwhile, Valentine needs to prove to the coaching staff that he’s ready to start or at least play a major role in the defense.

The Packers can get by without a shut down cover corner, but they will need their cornerback room to play consistently well this season. More pressure from the front four could also help the cornerbacks to be more successful.

Three Big Questions Facing the Packers Secondary, Number Three: Is There Sufficient Depth at Cornerback?

Depth is also an issue at cornerback. If injuries strike any of the top players, do the Packers have enough depth at the position to continue to keep the defense playing at a high level? Can Kalen King take a step forward in his second NFL season and play a more meaningful role in the defense? Or is there another player on the depth chart who will earn more playing time?

The team has brought in plenty of candidates but did not address the cornerback position in the draft until the seventh round. It would be a big surprise if the Packers receive a large contribution from Micah Robinson on defense in his rookie campaign.

The Packers face a lot of dangerous receivers in the NFC North so having a solid cornerback room will be vital in 2025.