Tag: Corey Ballentine

Returns in free agency helped raise the floor at CB for Packers

Free agency helped raise the floor of the cornerback position for the Packers, giving them some flexibility heading into the draft.

Cornerback remains a need that should be on GM Brian Gutekunst’s radar during the NFL Draft, but how the Packers went about free agency at this position did help raise the floor of this group.

Before free agency, the depth of this unit was a fairly big concern. After Jaire Alexander, Carrington Valentine, and Eric Stokes, the only players on the roster were Zyon Gilbert and Anthony Johnson–two practice squad players from 2023.

However, during free agency, the Packers would re-sign Keisean Nixon, Corey Ballentine and Robert Rochell.

The return of Nixon gives the defense a starting nickel cornerback that they can rely on. Before Nixon was re-signed, the Packers didn’t have an obvious slot cornerback on the roster, with Alexander, Valentine, and Stokes all being boundary cornerbacks throughout their careers, making that a major need that would have to be addressed.

Every NFL GM wants flexibility going into the NFL Draft, to be able to let the board dictate their actions, rather than feeling like they have to take a specific position early on. Had the Packers not re-signed Nixon or at least added a starting-caliber nickel in free agency, drafting a slot cornerback early on would have been a near must.

Last season, in his first full season as a defensive starter, Nixon held opponents to under 10 yards per catch and forced five pass breakups with one interception. Nixon was also a willing run defender and found some success as a blitzer late in the season.

“The nickel position has become more and more important in our league,” Brian Gutekunst said. “Having a guy who can do multiple things, not only cover but be an instinctual guy that can take the ball and also play against the run just because of how much those guys are involved. That position in particular has become more and more valuable…Keisean really fit us, not only as a player but in the locker room as well.”

Ballentine, meanwhile, provides some needed experienced depth. Due to injuries, Ballentine was called upon often last season, playing 534 snaps. He was very capable of helping out against the run and able to challenge and limit pass-catchers.

Very quickly, and that’s the purpose of free agency, the Packers’ cornerback room is in much better overall shape with Nixon and Ballentine back in the mix.

However, that also doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t address the position in the draft either. There are still some unknowns around what is one of the more important positions in the game.

Stokes missed most of the 2023 season and before his injury in 2022, he was having a down year. I’m not sure anyone truly knows what to expect from him when he’s back on the field. The hope is that Valentine takes that Year 2 leap, but that is never a given either.

Although Nixon is back manning the slot, that is an upgradeable position for the Packers, and the draft will present them with options to do so. Michigan’s Mike Sainristil, Florida State’s Jarrian Jones, and even Iowa’s Cooper DeJean could be moved inside.

Long-term depth should always be a point of emphasis for teams in the draft, and looking beyond 2024, there are, again, some question marks around that for the Packers. Ballentine is only signed to a one-year deal, while this is the final year of Stokes’ rookie deal.

The good news for the Packers is that this is a very good cornerback class. In Daniel Jeremiah’s most recent top 50 prospects big board, seven cornerbacks were listed–the second-most among all position groups. On top of that, with five picks in the top 100 and 11 selections in total, Gutekunst will have the opportunity to address this need.

With how the cornerback room is currently constructed, adding to it isn’t an absolute in the draft by any means, but at a premier position, it would be a prudent move to make.

Packers give CB Corey Ballentine a $500K signing bonus in new contract

The Green Bay Packers paid cornerback Corey Ballentine like they believe he’s going to make the 53-man roster and contribute in 2024.

The Green Bay Packers paid cornerback Corey Ballentine like they believe he’s going to make the 53-man roster and contribute in 2024. According to numbers from both Over the Cap and Ken Ingalls, Ballentine received a $500,000 signing bonus, $220,000 in total per-game roster bonuses and a $100,000 in workout bonus. His base salary is $1,280,000, or slightly more than the minimum base salary for a player with five accrued seasons.

Ballentine, who started six games and played over 600 total snaps on defense and special teams last season, will have a cap number of $2,061,175 in 2024.

The only guaranteed money is the signing bonus. But if Ballentine doesn’t make the roster, he’ll still count $500,000 against the Packers cap in 2024.

The numbers suggest the Packers might have had competition to sign Ballentine in free agency. The numbers also suggest the Packers think he can compete for snaps as a backup cornerback and provide a core member of the special teams.

Ballentine set a career high and finished second on the team with seven passes defensed last season. He also tallied his first career interception in the first half of the Packers’ Week 17 win over the Minnesota Vikings.

Per Pro Football Focus, Ballentine allowed 58 percent completions and a 79.4 passer rating into his coverage. He broke up more passes than Jaire Alexander despite playing only roughly 20 more snaps on defense.

Ballentine was a core special teamer in eight straight games to end the 2022 season and his first six games in 2023. The speedy cornerback, a sixth-round pick of the New York Giants in 2019, was acquired by the Packers as a practice squad signing in September of 2022.

On short notice, Packers CB Corey Ballentine delivers impressive performance vs. Vikings

The Vikings targeted surprise starter Corey Ballentine nine times, but he allowed only three catches in an impressive performance.

The Green Bay Packers cornerbacks versus the Minnesota Vikings receivers. It was a matchup on paper that didn’t come close to favoring the Packers, but Corey Ballentine stepped in last minute and delivered an impressive performance against an impressive group of receivers.

Ballentine was targeted heavily in this one by the Minnesota quarterbacks, throwing his direction nine times. However, Ballentine allowed only three receptions for 33 yards with two forced incompletions and an interception that led to seven points for the Green Bay offense.

Of those nine targets, three of them came with Ballentine covering Justin Jefferson, but he didn’t allow a reception. Overall, and this goes beyond just this week’s performance, but when Ballentine has been on the field, he’s done a very good job challenging opposing receivers. From Weeks 10-14 and Week 17, when Ballentine was starting, his six forced incompletions during those games are tied for the fourth-most out of 70 eligible cornerbacks.

“I like to play a little mind game, in a sense,” said Ballentine of his play-style. “I don’t like to put all my eggs in on basket. So sometimes I play aggressive. Sometimes I play a little more passive depending on the situation. I try to be very aware of the situation, the sticks, the call, I still want to play within the call.

“So I don’t want to freelance it and do my own thing all the time. But I try to be conscious of everything when I see something pre-snap and I alert it and can break on it and play fast and play free and not think about it, then that’s when I feel like I play best.”

When it was all said and done, Jefferson, who had 225 receiving yards in the previous two games alone, was held to only 59 yards on 10 targets. Jordan Addison and KJ Osborn, who entered the game with almost 1,400 receiving yards between the two of them, combined for just 28 yards against Green Bay, which includes no receptions for Osborn.

Due to injuries at the cornerback position this season, Ballentine came into Sunday’s game with 431 defensive snaps and five starts. Yet even with that previous experience this season, making Ballentine’s performance more impressive was that he went from being a backup on Friday evening to finding out he was starting on Saturday when Eric Stokes was placed on IR.

“I prepare every week like I’m going to be up and playing a lot anyways,” said Ballentine. “Regardless of what happens with anyone else, my preparation stays the same, so I’m ready whenever my name is called and I go out there and put my best foot forward.”

Along with Ballentine’s performance, on the opposite side of the field, Carrington Valentine allowed just three receptions on six targets for 32 yards. Both players were awarded game balls afterwards by Matt LaFleur.

Credit, of course, goes to Ballentine and Valentine for their play, but helping them out was the Green Bay pass rush. The Packers defensive front had both Jaren Hall and Nick Mullens hurried and uncomfortable from the start of the game on. According to Next Gen Stats, the Vikings’ quarterbacks were under duress on 50 percent of their dropbacks, with nine different Packers contributing to 14 total quarterback hits.

In the previous three games, the Green Bay defense had allowed career games to Tommy DeVito, Baker Mayfield, and Bryce Young. But in a must-win game, this unit stepped up, and did so against a very good group of receivers. Even with the unknowns at quarterback for Minnesota during the second half of the season, the Vikings still ranked sixth in yards per pass attempt as a team.

However, led by Ballentine, Valentine, and the pass rush, Minnesota’s quarterbacks averaged just 5.6 yards per pass and threw for only 144 yards in what ended up being a dominant performance by this Packers team.

“We’ve had a lot of guys step up,” said LaFleur post-game. “CV (Carrington Valentine) going in there at corner. Corey Ballentine stepping up, getting the call last minute to go in there and start. Anytime you can come out a game holding Jefferson to 59 yards I think you’ve got a good chance of winning the football game.”

Behind Enemy Lines: Week 14 Q&A with Packers Wire

With a Week 14 game between the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers on tap, we go behind enemy lines for a chat with Packers Wire.

The New York Giants (4-8) and Green Bay Packers (6-6) will square off on Monday night in a Week 14 matchup at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The Giants opened the week as 6-point home underdogs and that spread has worsened slightly with New York listed at +6.5 as of this writing.

With this matchup on tap, Giants Wire took the opportunity to hold a Q&A with Packers Wire managing editor Zach Kruse.

Giants vs. Packers: 5 things to know about Week 14

The New York Giants and Green Bay Packers square off on Monday night in Week 14, so here are five things fans should know.

The New York Giants (4-8) host the Green Bay Packers (6-6) this coming Monday night at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The game features two of the NFL’s oldest and most iconic franchises.

Here are five things to know before the Week 14 matchup.

Packers CB Corey Ballentine making most of opportunity to start

Packers CB Corey Ballentine has been a pleasant surprise filling in for Jaire Alexander.

The Green Bay Packers have had to rely on Corey Ballentine to start at cornerback in place of Jaire Alexander, and through two games, he has filled in admirably.

Both Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett and Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert went after Ballentine, targeting him 11 times over those two games. However, Ballentine has allowed just five completions at 10.8 yards per catch with a long of 17 yards, which came when covering Keenan Allen and Diontae Johnson.

“Corey Ballentine had a couple PBUs,” said Matt LaFleur following the Pittsburgh game. “They went at him twice in a row on a 2nd-and-10 and then a 3rd-and-10. He made the play. He made the play right in the two minute as well when he was bumped up into the boundary, made a tough contested play. All-in-all, I thought they did a nice job.”

Where I’ve really been impressed with Ballentine is with his ability to challenge the receivers. Of those 11 targets, he’s forced four incompletions, according to PFF. Out of 61 eligible cornerbacks over the last two weeks, Ballentine’s forced incompletion rate of 36 percent is the second-highest in football.

He’s also done well limiting the pass catches that he does allow, with only 13 total yards after the catch given up. And for what it’s worth, Ballentine’s coverage grade from PFF over these last two games is the ninth-best among cornerbacks.

Ballentine has been in the NFL since 2019 after going undrafted out of Washburn. The 298 defensive snaps he played as a rookie with the New York Giants is the most he’s played in a single season, and he has largely been a practice squad player in recent years. Unlike Carrington Valentine, who had flashed throughout the summer and is in his rookie year, there was unknown around Ballentine. You never quite know how a veteran, who has been a fringe roster player, is going to respond in these situations.

After the Chargers game, LaFleur complemented defensive coordinator Joe Barry for his willingness at times to play with a lone single-high safety against the Chargers passing attack in an effort to limit opportunities on short-area and intermediate throws. Doing that, however, can leave the cornerbacks on an island and also showcases the confidence that Barry has in both Valentine and Ballentine to handle their one-on-one matchups.

“I feel good about it,” said Ballentine about the opportunity to start. “I feel that it’s a work in progress that doesn’t happen overnight. I feel like it’s coming along. I feel like I’ve been making more plays in practice.

“I have an opportunity, and I feel like it’s all there for the taking, for really for anybody that wants to take it. I just want to make sure I’m doing what I need to do to get better and put my best foot forward and come out there and really stay healthy and go to practice and focus and be the best I can be that day.”

After missing last Wednesday’s practice, Alexander was limited on Thursday and Friday before being held out of the Chargers game with a shoulder injury he suffered against the Los Angeles Rams. On a short week, he was estimated to be limited on Monday, had the Packers held practice.

Whether or not Alexander will play in Detroit is still not known. However, if he can’t go, Thursday will be another opportunity for Ballentine. Things haven’t been perfect by any means, but in a Packers’ cornerback room that has quickly become short-handed, Ballentine has helped provide some stability the last two weeks.

“All the coaches, G-Money (Greg Williams), RD (Ryan Downard), and Justin Hood have all done a great job with those guys,” said LaFleur about the Packers young secondary. “But I also think it speaks to the character of the guys in the room. Guys are hungry. They want to prove when given their opportunity, and I think they’ve stepped up to that challenge.”

Packers signing CB Corey Ballentine from practice squad to 53-man roster

The Packers are signing CB Corey Ballentine from the practice squad to the 53-man roster.

In need of help at cornerback, the Green Bay Packers will sign Corey Ballentine from the practice squad to the 53-man roster on Wednesday, per Bill Huber of SI.com.

The move is required to both bolster the depth at a position dealing with injuries and to have Ballentine available after he used up his three practice squad elevations.

Jaire Alexander has missed three of the last four games with a lingering back injury, while Eric Stokes — who came off the PUP list last Saturday — was injured on his fourth snap while covering a punt against the Denver Broncos on Sunday. The only other cornerbacks on the roster are Rasul Douglas, Keisean Nixon and rookie Carrington Valentine.

Ballentine was elevated from the practice squad for games against the New Orleans Saints, Detroit Lions and Las Vegas Raiders. He played 80 snaps on defense and 48 on special teams. Players are allowed to be elevated from the practice squad three times in a season.

Last season, Ballentine was active for the final eight games and played 106 snaps on special teams. He was on the field for at least 10 special teams snaps in all eight games. Ballentine produced four tackles but also missed three tackles, per PFF.

This season, Ballentine has allowed four catches for 50 yards on six targets into his coverage and 41 total coverage snaps. He also broke up a pass. On special teams, Ballentine has one tackle and one missed tackle.

The Packers will make a corresponding transaction to fit Ballentine on the 53-man roster. Safety Darnell Savage going to injured reserve to recover from a calf injury could be the move.

Packers re-sign cornerback/special teamer Corey Ballentine

The Packers re-signed cornerback Corey Ballentine, who played over 50 percent of the team’s special teams snaps over the final eight games of 2022.

The Green Bay Packers announced the re-signing of cornerback Corey Ballentine on Monday.

Ballentine, who originally joined the Packers practice squad in September, played in eight games and saw the field for 17 defensive snaps and 106 special teams snaps after his promotion to the 53-man roster in November.

Ballentine, 26, produced four special teams tackles and a forced fumble. He was on the field for over 50 percent of the Packers’ special teams snaps over the final eight games.

His return to Green Bay suggests the Packers believe he can continue producing as a core special teams member for coordinator Rich Bisaccia.

Ballentine’s only significant action on defense came during the fourth quarter of the Packers’ blowout win over the Minnesota Vikings in Week 17.

Ballentine entered the NFL as a sixth-round pick of the New York Giants in 2019. He has played in 40 career games and brings experience at cornerback, kickoff returner and on every special teams unit.

The Packers also announced the re-signing of safety Rudy Ford, which was reported last Friday.

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Packers sign CB Corey Ballentine from practice squad to 53-man roster

In need of depth at cornerback, the Packers signed Corey Ballentine from the practice squad to the 53-man roster on Saturday.

The Green Bay Packers added help at cornerback from the practice squad on Saturday.

The team announced the signing of cornerback Corey Ballentine from the practice squad to the 53-man roster before Sunday’s visit from the Dallas Cowboys.

Ballentine takes the roster spot of Eric Stokes, who was placed on injured reserve after he suffered knee and ankle injuries against the Detroit Lions.

The Packers initially signed Ballentine (5-11, 196) to the practice squad on Sept. 28. A sixth-round pick of the New York Giants in the 2019 NFL draft, Ballentine has played in 32 games and made four starts at the professional level.

Between 2019 and 2021, Ballentine played 405 snaps on defense and 278 on special teams. He produced 46 tackles, two pass breakups and one quarterback hit while also returning 35 kickoffs.

With Stokes on injured reserve and Shemar Jean-Charles ruled out for the third consecutive game, the Packers required depth behind Jaire Alexader, Rasul Douglas and Keisean Nixon at cornerback. It’s also possible Ballentine will be in the mix to return kickoffs on Sunday.

Ballentine has previously played for the Giants, Atlanta Falcons, Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets and Detroit Lions. He spent 13 days on the practice squad of the Cardinals earlier this year.

Ballentine is an elite athlete. His Relative Athletic Score coming out of Washburn in 2019 was 9.37 out of 10.0, thanks to elite scores in the vertical leap (39.5″), broad jump (11-3) and three-cone (6.82). He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.47 seconds.

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Packers signing CB/KR Corey Ballentine to practice squad

The Packers will fill the practice squad by signing CB/KR Corey Ballentine on Wednesday, per Bill Huber of SI.com.

The open spot on the Green Bay Packers’ practice squad will be filled Wednesday by the signing of cornerback and kick returner Corey Ballentine, according to Bill Huber of SI.com.

Ballentine (6-0, 191) was one of six players to work out for the team on Tuesday.

Ballentine, a sixth-round pick (180th overall) of the New York Giants in 2019, has played in 32 regular-season games with the Giants, New York Jets and Detroit Lions. He’s produced 46 tackles and two pass breakups as a cornerback and 855 return yards on 35 kickoff returns, with a long of 66 yards.

Ballentine most recently spent two weeks on the practice squad of the Arizona Cardinals.

Ballentine struggled in coverage with the Giants over the 2019 and 2020 seasons. He gave up five touchdown passes and a passer rating of 134.2 while also missing four tackles over 405 snaps, per PFF.

However, he’s been excellent on special teams, both as a returner and coverage player. In 2020, he tallied eight special teams tackles and produced over 500 return yards.

Ballentine has never returned on a punt at the NFL level.

He is an elite athlete.

At the 2019 combine, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.47 seconds, hit 39.5″ in the vertical leap and covered 11-3 in the broad jump, finished the three-cone drill in 6.82 seconds and the short shuttle in 4.14 seconds. He also did 15 reps on the bench press. His Relative Athletic Score was 9.36 out of 10.0.

It’s possible Ballentine could give the Packers a boost as a returner at some point in the season. Amari Rodgers currently returns kicks and punts.

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