Packers’ makeshift secondary faces daunting challenge

By GERY WOELFEL

At the beginning of this season, the secondary was expected to be one of the Green Bay Packers’ strengths.

After all, the secondary was laden with quality veterans. They had arguably one of the best cornerback groups in the NFL with Pro Bowler Jaire Alexander and proven vets  in Rasul Douglas and Eric Stokes.

The Packers also had a nice tandem of safeties in Darnell Savage and Rudy Ford.

The least of defensive coordinator Joe Barry’s worries back in September was his defensive backs corps..

Well, fast forward to today, and it’s hard to imagine Barry not being worried. Barry’s secondary is in shambles as the Packers take on the Los Angeles Chargers and their sensational quarterback Justin Herbert Sunday at Lambeau Field.

The Packers will be without every one of the defensive backs that opened the season. Douglas was traded to Buffalo a few weeks ago, and Alexander, Savage and Ford are all injured.

The Packers’ starting cornerbacks against the Chargers will be Carrington Valentine, a seven-round slection in the 2023 draft, and Corey Ballentine, an unproven sixth-round pick of the New York Giants in 2019l who played just 14 games the last two seasons with the Packers.

Any legit NFL quarterback would be licking his chops throwing against Valentine and Ballentine, especially a star QB like Herbert who is on top of his game.

Last week against Detroit, Herbert carved up the Lions’ secondary by completing 27 of 40 passes for 323 yards and four touchdowns. He had only one pass picked.

Two weeks before the Lions’ outing, Herbert threw for 298 yards and three touchdowns against the Bears.

Earlier this season, Herbert passed for a whopping 405 yards and three touchdowns against Minnesota.

With the Packers’ secondary in disarray, Herbert could easily have a similar game.

Prediction: Chargers 30, Packers 24.