No. 23 — Carrington Valentine

The Green Bay Packers went 11-6 last season, sweeping the NFC West and the AFC South along the way.

Overall, though, no one in the building was happy.

The Packers failed to build on their terrific finish to the 2023 campaign, settled for the No. 7 seed in the NFC playoffs, and lost a Wild Card game to eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia.

Afterwards, general manager Brian Gutekunst turned up the heat on everybody in the building.

“We need to continue to ramp up our sense of urgency,” Gutekunst said. “I think it’s time we started competing for championships.”

Those are fair expectations.

The Packers return 20 of 22 starters, and appear to have upgraded the roster via free agency and the draft. With several third and fourth year players trending upward, Green Bay should be poised to make a move.

“I think they’re ready,” Gutekunst said.

Now, it’s time for the Packers to prove their G.M. right.

Green Bay’s first training camp practice is July 23. Between now and then I will count down the ‘30 Most Important Packers’ heading into the 2025 campaign.

At No. 23 is cornerback Carrington Valentine.

No. 23

Carrington Valentine, CB

Last season

Valentine missed Weeks 3-4 with an ankle injury, but otherwise had a solid season.

Valentine started seven of the 15 games he played, had his first two career interceptions and forced two fumbles. He also ranked fourth on the team with five passes defensed and added 30 tackles.

Valentine started the final seven games for an injured Jaire Alexander and played well. Valentine had interceptions at Seattle and Minnesota. He forced fumbles against New Orleans and Chicago. And he played every snap the final three games of the season — including the Packers’ playoff loss to Philadelphia.

“He’s had injuries, he wasn’t here for a lot of the training camp, and now he’s kind of getting in the groove and he’s playing really well,” Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley said of Valentine late last season. “And I would expect that from him moving forward.”

Career to date

Valentine was a seventh round draft pick in 2023 whose size (6-0) and speed (4.44) helped him win a roster spot that summer. He then made the most of his opportunities when injuries hit the cornerback room that season.

Valentine played all 17 games his rookie year and made 12 starts. He recorded 42 tackles (32 solo), had nine passes defensed and one fumble recovery.

Valentine led the Packers in 2023 in passes defensed and was ranked No. 7 in the NFL among all rookies. He also started both postseason contests that year, recording 12 tackles (nine solo).

Valentine played his r0okie season at an undersized 180 pounds. That offseason, he worked with trainer Chris Vaughn at Aspirations Fitness Institution in Louisville, Ky., and added 15 pounds of good weight that helped him a year ago.

Outlook

The Packers are thin at cornerback and have a lot of inexperience behind the top three of Keisean Nixon, Nate Hobbs and Valentine. So playing time — whether that’s outside or inside — shouldn’t be an issue for Valentine.

Aside from being stiff-armed by Philadelphia’s Dallas Goedert in last year’s Wild Card playoff game — and subsequently ridiculed across social media — Valentine has been a pleasant surprise.

He runs extremely well. He’s not afraid to tackle. And he has surprising confidence for a former seventh round draft pick.

Valentine played 62.6% of the snaps as a rookie and 50.2% a year ago. Chances are he exceeds those numbers this year.

They Said It …

“CV, he’s one of my favorites. He plays the game the right way. He’s smart. He works at it, it means a lot to him, and the next step is just to make routine plays look like routine plays. He’s very strong at the point of attack. He’s got good speed. He’s tough. Just making those routine plays down in and down out, I think he can take a big jump this year, as well.” — Packers passing game coordinator Derrick Ansley on Valentine

“He’s been extremely coachable, high character guy. Busts his butt every day, has approached it the right way. So I’m excited for him. I think he continues to prove that the more he plays, the better he gets. So I’m excited for him.”

— Packers coach Matt LaFleur on Valentine

“I mean, obviously when you make plays and stuff like that, you’re confidence keeps going up in the room. You also have sometimes you get humbled a little bit, but you never lose it. It’s just a part of you. It’s always going to be a part of me. I’m never going to change. I’m always going to be myself.” — Valentine on his confidence level

THE TOP 30

• No. 30 — RB MarShawn Lloyd

• No. 29 — WR Dontayvion Wicks

• No. 28 — S Javon Bullard

• No. 27 — WR Savion Williams

• No. 26 — LB Isaiah McDuffie

• No. 25 — OL Jordan Morgan

• No. 24 — WR Matthew Golden