This 2024 offseason, the Green Bay Packers have made both significant and little personnel changes. With the additions of Josh Jacobs and Xavier McKinney, as well as the quiet re-signings of Keisean Nixon and AJ Dillon, the Green Bay Packers are assembling a team that will be competitive both now and down the road. Following a turbulent 2023 season that concluded with a thrilling three-point defeat only moments before the NFC Championship, the Green Bay Packers are attempting to assemble the necessary components for a Super Bowl victory.
The New York Jets selected 27-year-old cornerback and special team player Corey Ballentine in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. It looks like he could have settled down in Green Bay after having a difficult time establishing himself early in his career.
After working his way up from the Green Bay Packers practice squad in 2022, the 5’11, 196-pound cornerback became a vital member of the special team for the second half of the 2022 campaign. He remained a special team player in 2023 and saw a lot of action at cornerback when the secondary was injured. Ballentine saw more than 600 snaps between special teams and corners last season.
Corey Ballentine recorded seven pass breakups, one interception, and a 60.1 PFF grade in his 2023 year. Ballentine outperformed star corner Jaire Alexander with seven breakups, excellent for second place on the squad. Ballentine recorded his first interception in a blowout against rookie Jarran Hall of the Vikings in week 17.
After Ballentine was awarded the contract, a fewIt is possible to evaluate the situation: Corey Ballentine’s growth as a cornerback and value as a special team player probably drew interest from other teams. The Green Bay Packers, on the other hand, think Ballentine will make the roster and will count $5,000 against the cap should he somehow miss out. Ballentine’s re-signing indicates the team’s confidence in the personnel decisions they made the previous season, and they hope that under new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, they can improve performance and win more games.
