Ranking NFC North Cornerbacks
As the 2023 season draws near, the NFC North is one of the most wide-open divisions in the league.
All four teams are looking to steal the division title, with each having a reasonable case for doing so. In the case of Chicago, Minnesota and Detroit, improving their secondary would help their chances immensely.
Those three teams were all among the NFL's four worst teams against the pass. As a result, each took steps during the offseason to improve its respective cornerbacks rooms.
Green Bay, meanwhile, narrowly finished outside the top half of the league in passing yards against.
Defending the pass could be the key to claiming the division in 2023, with the abundance of struggles that each NFC North team faced last season.
Here is a ranking of each team's top option at the cornerback position heading into the upcoming season.
4. Jaylon Johnson, Chicago Bears
The Bears were the best of the three bottom teams, finishing 29th against the pass. A second-round pick in 2020, Johnson is entering a pivotal season.
He'll have to help anchor the secondary unit, as his counterpart will likely be rookie Tyrique Stevenson. The veteran will have to improve his tackling. Pro Football Focus assigned him a 29.0 grade in that department, after he missed 10 tackles in 2022.
Johnson played 10 games last season, all starts, while dealing with injuries to his hand and ribs.
3. Byron Murphy, Minnesota Vikings
Murphy is hoping to find his form after struggling with injuries in 2022. With the Cardinals, he was limited to just nine games and placed on injured reserve with a back injury.
The setbacks put a damper on his success in 2021, when he intercepted four passes. In signing with the Vikings, he's hoping to rediscover his best form.
The talented corner is part of a young unit that includes 2023 draft pick Mekhi Blackmon and 2022 second-rounder Andrew Booth. At just 25-years-old, there's optimism that he can get back to his previous levels of production.
2. Cameron Sutton, Detroit Lions
The Lions went all-in on revamping their secondary during the offseason, and came out with one of the best available. Sutton, who was a complementary piece for most of his career, broke out in 2022 and was rewarded.
He'll be Detroit's top cornerback immediately, as his veteran presence and skill set will spearhead the team's new-look secondary. Gone are Jeff Okudah and Amani Oruwariye, and in are Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley, who will look to fill their shoes.
Those two aren't the only additions, however. Free-agent signing C.J. Gardner-Johnson has cornerback versatility, as does rookie Brian Branch. Jerry Jacobs is a physical player who will compete for playing time, too.
If everything comes together, Detroit will have as deep of a secondary as it's had in years.
1. Jaire Alexander, Green Bay Packers
Alexander is a bona fide star. He's amongst the top-five cornerbacks in the league, making him the most proven in the division.
The veteran has 10 interceptions to his name through five seasons, including five last season. He's been named a second-team All-Pro twice already, and was rewarded for his efforts with a hefty extension.
Rasul Douglas gives Green Bay a solid second option, while seventh-round pick Carrington Valentine could be a dependable depth option.
