Packers Sign Two Cornerbacks, Including Robert Rochell

The Packers have taken drastic action to fix their beat-up cornerback corps with the additions of former Rams draft pick Robert Rochell and the promotion of Corey Ballentine from the practice squad.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – With the Green Bay Packers having gone from “champagne problems” at cornerback to injury problems, they made a series of moves at the position before Wednesday’s practice.

Along with promoting Corey Ballentine from the practice squad and filling that opening by adding Zyon Gilbert to the practice squad, the Packers signed Robert Rochell off the Carolina Panthers’ practice squad.

Ballentine and Rochell will add depth at corner, with Jaire Alexander missing Sunday’s loss at Denver due to a back issue and Eric Stokes injuring a hamstring on special teams at Denver after missing almost a year with a foot injury. When Stokes was injured on punt coverage, the Packers were down to only three corners: veteran Rasul Douglas, slot Keisean Nixon and rookie Carrington Valentine.

Gilbert and Rochell were on the practice field on Wednesday.

Rochell was a fourth-round pick by the Los Angeles Rams in 2021. As a rookie, he played in 11 games with five starts and finished with one interception and four passes defensed. In 2022, he played in all 17 games, with almost all his action coming on special teams.

According to PFF and its judgment of coverage responsibilities, he allowed 13-of-20 passing for 176 yards with one touchdown and the interception, good for an 88.8 passer rating, as a rookie.

Rochell was released by the Rams at the end of training camp this summer. He spent about three weeks on Seattle’s practice squad and the last month on the Panthers’ practice squad.

Having spent his first two years with the Rams, who run a scheme similar to that of the Packers, the hope is he can quickly acclimate himself and get on the field if needed.

There’s a lot to work with for his new position coach, Greg Williams. At the 2021 Scouting Combine, Rochell measured 5-foot-11 3/4 and ran his 40 in 4.41 seconds with a 43-inch vertical.

New Packers CB Robert Rochell :: Photo by Katie Stratman/USA Today Sports Images

At Central Arkansas, he tied for fifth in FCS with five interceptions and finished with 13 passes defensed to earn first-team all-conference honors. After the 2020 season, he was invited to the Senior Bowl.

Rochell played quarterback, running back and receiver in high school.

“It just goes back to ball skills, awareness,” he told TheRams.com. “Know what the quarterback's trying to do when he's trying to place the ball. So those type of things just help me play routes and stuff more true.”

Being drafted was a life-changing moment for Rochell, whose father was killed in a drive-by shooting in 2009.

“My mother [Monique] was speechless,” Rochell told Arkansas Online. “She was just hugging me, crying on my chest.

“Seeing this woman work herself down, sacrifice so much day in and day out that she didn't have to do, and go through things that a woman shouldn’t even have to go through as a parent – it was a moment of relief. I felt the relief in her body as she was hugging me.”

The Packers struck gold when they signed Douglas off the Cardinals’ practice squad when Alexander was out with a shoulder injury in 2021. The Packers can only hope a fresh opportunity for a talented and athletic player can pay similar dividends.

Nonetheless, what a difference a week makes, when the Packers had Alexander, Douglas and Nixon in the lineup and with Stokes – who was sensational as a rookie – nearing his return.

“Having a bunch of good players, that’s a good problem. That’s a champagne problem,” defensive coordinator Joe Barry said at the time. “You can never – I’ve stood up here and said it many times – you can never have too many good corners. That’ll be exciting when we get to that.”

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Two moves at corner for the #Packers today. Quick note about Stokes in here too. I’ll add a bit on that later but got to get set for practice. https://t.co/dscnzvpreq

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) October 25, 2023

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