Green Bay Packers, Corey Ballentine. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
The Green Bay Packers are entering the new Jordan Love era but, after the draft and free agency, these players might not make it through the summer.
It’s not a stretch to say that the 2023 Green Bay Packers might be completely unrecognizable in relation to what fans have seen in recent years. That most obviously starts at quarterback with Jordan Love replacing Aaron Rodgers, but it extends beyond that with a bevy of newcomers coming into the fold.
With that said, if Love plays at even a moderate level in his first season as the Packers starting quarterback, there is a good chance that the team will be in a position to, at minimum, compete for a playoff spot. One of the big keys to that happening, as it is with every team, is getting the best players on the field. But first, it’s about getting the best players on the roster.
And as minicamps and offseason activities start to ramp up, these three players might end up getting cut by the Packers as the page is turned to this new chapter.
Packers rumors: 3 candidates to be cut this summer before 2023 season
Packers cut candidate No. 3: Corey Ballentine, CB
Looking for answers to find depth in the secondary, the Packers signed former Giants sixth-round pick Corey Ballentine last year to a one-year deal. After his first season in Green Bay, they wound up electing to bring him back into the fold on another one-year deal worth roughly $1 million with almost all of that non-guaranteed.
The fact of the matter is that Ballentine didn’t play much of a role for the Packers in the 2022 season, though. He saw the field for only 17 defensive snaps and played under 25% of the team’s special teams snaps, too.
Though it wasn’t a high selection, the Packers drafted Carrington Valentine out of Kentucky in the seventh round a few weeks ago. Though it’s a selection in the last round, Valentine was expected by many to go earlier on Day 3 than that because, simply, he’s a darn good football player who can contribute.
While Valentine will have to prove he can offer the same limited special teams role that Ballentine did for Green Bay a season ago, he offers far more upside at cornerback if the team needs to dip into the depth pool at any point in the year as Ballentine hasn’t proven he can hold his own either with the Giants or with the Pack.
As such, Valentine is a cheaper, potentially more profitable option for the Packers to keep around, which could lead to Ballentine being on the chopping block sooner rather than later, especially with no cost to the team in terms of dead cap hits.