The Green Bay Packers put together a very solid performance against the Chicago Bears in Week 1 of the season. They dominated in every facet of the game as there wasn’t much to be disappointed about it.
The penalties were an issue that head coach Matt LaFleur pinpointed earlier in the week. While they didn’t cost the Packers in Week 1, it is something that will need to be cleaned up as it will be a detriment to finding success on the field.
If there is anything to worry about when it comes to the Packers heading into Week 2 and beyond, it is the depth at some positions. Green Bay is inexperienced pretty much across the board, but there are a few spots that adding reinforcements to wouldn’t be the worst idea.
In the opinion of Matt Holder of Bleacher Report, the cornerback position is where the team could use the most help right now. He suggested that one player the team should look into signing is cornerback William Jackson.
“With Eric Stokes starting the season on the PUP list, the Packers could use some depth at cornerback behind Jaire Alexander and Rasul Douglas. While Jackson’s injured-riddled tenure in Washington and Pittsburgh over the last two seasons was disappointing, he would still bring starting experience and talent to Green Bay’s secondary. The former Bengal did have 41 pass breakups in 59 games with Cincinnati.”
Jackson was a first-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in 2017 and he came out of the gates strong. His highest graded season to this point was his rookie year when he earned a 90.2 overall grade and a 90.4 coverage grade.
Those are elite numbers for any player, let alone a rookie playing one of the toughest positions in the league. His second and third highest-graded seasons came in 2018 and 2020 as injuries have really hampered him in recent seasons.
The Pittsburgh Steelers traded for Jackson ahead of last season’s trade deadline but he never suited up for the team because of a back injury. He was released in March, saving them more than $12 million and has remained a free agent since.
Jackson would provide the Packers with some starting experience to their cornerback room, but it would be hard to imagine him offering more than just depth. Rookie Carrington Valentine earned a roster spot with a strong offseason and Eric Stokes will be returning from the PUP List eventually.
If the Packers were worried about cornerback depth, they would have kept more than four players at the position after training camp. That signals they are comfortable with the players they have and will only be making a move should an injury necessitate one.
