ESPN Solves Packers’ Biggest Need for 2025

The Green Bay Packers are in the middle of a promising 2024 season but, at the bye, why not take a look ahead to 2025 by addressing their biggest need.

Colorado Buffalos wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) against Arizona Wildcats cornerback Tacario Davis. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers’ biggest need for 2025 is one they failed to address at this week’s NFL trade deadline.

Cornerback.

ESPN analyst Aaron Schatz picked each team’s biggest need and ESPN draft experts Matt Miller and Jordan Reid addressed those needs with the 2025 NFL Draft class.

For the Packers, Schatz likes how Jaire Alexander has performed when healthy and how Keisean Nixon has adjusted to his new role at perimeter cornerback.

But Eric Stokes, who had such a promising rookie season, has been unable to pull his career out of tailspin. The team didn’t activate his fifth-year option, meaning he’ll be a free agent after this season.

“This is a position where Green Bay needs depth, and it could add a young player to study behind Alexander and Nixon,” Schatz wrote.

Forget the “study” part. The Packers need a cornerback who can play right away.

Reid picked Arizona’s Tacario Davis as a potential first-round pick.

“At 6-foot-4, 190 pounds, Davis is a long, rangy corner who also has ball skills. He plays a lot of man coverage and can disrupt throwing lanes, making him a good fit in the Packers’ scheme,” Reid wrote.

A junior, Davis has zero interceptions and five passes defensed this season. In 2023, he had his lone career interception and a Pac-12-leading 15 breakups.

According to Pro Football Focus, Davis has allowed a 52.4 percent catch rate with zero touchdowns allowed and a 79.6 passer rating.

“He’s what everyone in the country is looking for. Long, can run and cover, and I think he’s got a lot of potential,” cornerbacks coach Courtney Viney said. “He’s just scratching the surface. He’s got a lot ahead of him, and that’s what I talked to him about: continuing that development and transformation of the foundation he’s already laid.

“Sky’s the limit for Tacario. He’s a worker. On the outside looking in, a lot of things can be said. He’s a guy that wants to be here and he loves this place. He’s putting his best foot forward to transform into the elite player that he can be.”

In its early look at the 2025 draft, PFF said the cornerback class is “great.” Eight corners are in its Top 100. That includes East Carolina’s Shavon Revel, who could fit in that late first-round range.

“Despite suffering a torn ACL in September, Revel is still among the top cornerbacks in the 2025 class,” Reid said in sending him to San Francisco. “His length (6-foot-3, 193 pounds) and change-of-direction skills are among the best in this draft class.”

The Packers had a big hole at safety entering last offseason. General manager Brian Gutekunst addressed it in free agency as well as the draft.

The Packers are projected to be about $48.4 million under the cap once it signs its draft class, according to Over The Cap, so there will be money to spend.

The veteran group is OK, which means teams probably will overspend. Pittsburgh’s Donte Jackson is second in the NFL in passer rating allowed (46.2; 56.4 percent completions), San Francisco’s Deommodore Lenoir is fifth in passer rating (63.4; 61.5 percent completions) and New Orleans’ Paulson Adebo is ninth in passer rating (67.0; 59.6 percent completions) and the Jets’ D.J. Reed is 12th in passer rating (71.9; 50.0 percent completions).

Jackson just turned 29, Ward will turn 29 during OTAs and Reed is 5-foot-9.

Helping the Packers is the development of one of their rookie safeties, Javon Bullard. With Nixon moved to corner, Bullard has shown promise in the slot.

“Bull, for a rookie, he’s just done an excellent job when he’s put in the nickel,” Gutekunst said. “The ability for him to play safety and nickel and what’s put on that guy for a young player to do what he’s done is really exciting what he’s done already, where he’s about to go. So that’s been good for us.

“Keisean hasn’t played a ton of outside corner for us and he was kind of put in that position and I think he’s done a really good job for us. He’s got excellent instincts, he can take the ball away. So, yeah, I’m really happy with him out there, as well.”

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