Paul Bretl | 8/20/2024
GREEN BAY, Wis. — While there were and still are some unknowns around the cornerback position for the Packers, throughout the offseason, Matt LaFleur has been bullish about this room, particularly the depth that they have. Contributing to LaFleur’s confidence is having the steady presence of Corey Ballentine on the back-end.
“Corey did a great job,” said LaFleur of Ballentine’s play in 2023. “He was in a tough situation because there were a lot of games where maybe he wasn’t anticipating starting and then on a Friday or a Saturday, ‘Hey, you’re going in there. You got to go play ball.’ And I thought he did an outstanding job, just whatever we asked of him he was always prepared and that’s the expectation.
“I thought he handled that like a mature player and went in there and played a lot of meaningful snaps for us and also gave us a boost on special teams. So, he’s a versatile player that did a lot of good things for us.”
Ballentine joined the Pack3rs in 2022, where he contributed on special teams. However, defensively last season, Ballentine’s role expanded greatly with Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes both battling injuries and the team trading away Rasul Douglas.
Despite the week-to-week uncertainty for Ballentine around whether or not he would be starting, he provided needed stability at the boundary position, playing 488 snaps last season. On 48 targets, Ballentine allowed only 28 completions (58.3%) with one interception and four pass breakups. Opposing quarterbacks had a passer rating of just 79.4 when throwing his way, and from Week 10 on, Ballentine ranked 15th out of 130 eligible cornerbacks in forced incompletions, according to PFF.
Those numbers included an impressive Week 17 performance against the Minnesota Vikings, where Ballentine was targeted and tested often. Thrown at nine times in that game, Ballentine allowed just three receptions for 33 yards. Three of those targets came against Justin Jefferson in which Ballentine didn’t surrender a catch.
“It meant a lot to me,” said Ballentine of his play in 2023. “It was kind of like a reminder that just persevere, push through all my circumstances and put my best foot forward. Always be ready whenever I’m called, and I think it’ll pay off on the back end if I continue to do that.
“Stay prepared, stay ahead, so that when I go out there, I’m not overthinking. I know what I’m doing, I’m prepared so I can go out there and play – play fast, play free. I feel like that was one of my best years, one of my more productive years. I’m looking forward to stacking more of those and increasing that.”
During training camp as the defense goes through their individual warmups with their respective position groups, Ballentine hasn’t been with the boundary cornerbacks, but rather he’s working with Keisean Nixon and rookie Kalen King out of the slot.
As someone who is comfortable playing physical, there are parts of Ballentine’s game that can help facilitate for a smooth transition to the nickel. However, this isn’t a full blown position change for Ballentine either–rather it’s another way for Ballentine to help out the cornerback room.
As of late, when the second defense has been on the field, Ballentine has been lined up on the boundary with Robert Rochell opposite of him and King in the slot. Then in the Packers’ two preseason games, 47 of Ballentine’s 53 snaps have come lined up outside.
“Just trying to add more versatility under my belt,” said Ballentine about playing the nickel. “I think adding some depth to the room, as well. Knowing that position, I feel like, helps me know where all my help is at corner. I feel like it’s good to be well-rounded. Having me in there to do some blitzes and also fit in the run (game) fit me well.
“I’m a little bit bigger of a body, so I think I can do that well. I don’t have a problem tackling. I think it’s been a good fit so far, just learning the defense, learning my role, where I’m supposed to fit in that position and going back and forth between the two still. I’m liking it so far.”
Ballentine doesn’t fall into the roster lock category, but he does have the advantage over King and Rochell, who he is competing with for the final roster spot or two. In the instances in practice where Alexander, Stokes, or Nixon need a breather, it is Ballentine who is subbed with the starting defense to play either the nickel or the boundary.
In comparison with Rochell, Ballentine is the more experienced and proven defender, who now brings inside and out versatility to the defense. And while King has made several splash plays, as we saw in the preseason game against Denver where he missed an open field tackle and allowed three completions on three targets for 40 yards, like any late Day 3 pick, he’s still navigating the learning curve that comes with making the jump from college to the NFL, resulting in inconsistent play.
However, although all that may be true, for Ballentine, comfort is the enemy. Now entering his sixth season in the NFL and throughout his career always seemingly on the fringe of making the team versus being left off, being comfortable with where he stands could be the difference between having a job with potential playing time and being left off the roster.
“I try not to get comfortable,” said Ballentine. “I think that’s important in this business. Even before I got to the league, I had a scout tell me that that’s one of the worst things you can do is be comfortable because then you start going through the motions and your sense of urgency goes down. I feel like that’s not a good place to operate from. Things like that that I can’t control, I don’t think about it too much. I try to control what I can control.”
Beyond the depth that Ballentine can provide defensively, he’s a proven special teams contributor as well. In two seasons with the Packers, he’s played 257 special teams snaps across four different phases. For any back end of the roster player, especially at a special teams-heavy position like cornerbacks, being able to contribute in this phase of the game is a must.
Two practices, including a joint one with the Baltimore Ravens, and a preseason game with the Ravens are all that remains for the Packers before final roster decisions have to be made by August 27th. With his play, Ballentine has put himself in a position to make a push for the 53-man roster, and if afforded that opportunity, he has multiple ways that he can contribute if called upon.
Although Ballentine doesn’t want to get comfortable, he’s in a familiar position and knows what it takes to be successful in such a role.
“What I’ve learned in my football career is everything is a process,” Ballentine added. “You’ve got to work your way through the rough patches. I think that’s what I had to do – weather the storms. Even when I first got here, I was on practice squad and I had to work my way onto the active. It’s always a process.
“My last two years, I did that. I’ve kind of learned how to weather the storm and really put my best foot forward and be ready whenever. I feel like I’ve answered when I’ve been called on. I don’t have a problem with doing that; I’m looking forward to continuing that.”