The Green Bay Packers entered the 2017 NFL free agent market with some serious needs but one of the biggest was a hole at cornerback. The Packers really need a number one cornerback to get over the top but that is a lot easier said than done. The Packers had $40.36 million in cap space so they could afford a free agent at the cornerback position but there is also a chance to grab a cornerback in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. The question is whether or not a rookie cornerback could actually help the Packers.
Packers options at a rookie cornerback in 2017 NFL Draft
The biggest problem is finding a rookie cornerback that could step up and become an NFL star. Cornerback is one of the most difficult positions to draft for because the talent and speed levels in the NFL are drastically different than they are in college. The fact that the Green Bay Packers have the 29th pick in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft means that there is little chance of finding a number one cornerback unless they trade up. There are some great options at cornerback in the 2017 NFL Draft but names like Marlon Humphrey and Marshon Lattimore will be gone early. Sidney Jones suffered an injury at his pro day, so he isn’t a first round option anymore.
There are names like Jalen Tabor and Obi Melifonwu available but are they elite enough to step up and make the Packers defense Super Bowl worthy?
Packers cornerback options on the free agent market
The Green Bay Packers had plenty of money available to spend on talent but they waited and watched cornerbacks like A.J. Bouye, Stephon Gilmore, and Logan Ryan all land with other teams on the first day of the NFL free agent period.
The Packers could still go after players like Darius Butler, Darrelle Revis, and Brandon Carr. The problem is that these players are all over 30, have questions on and off the field, and will only serve as a temporary stopgap at the position. With so little help in free agency, the Packers might have to find a cornerback in the 2017 NFL Draft and hope that the player works out.
With teams like the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Jets drafting ahead of them, the Green Bay Packers need luck on their side, and even then, finding a rookie cornerback to put them over the top is never a sure thing.
