Corey Ballentine and the Green Bay Packers weren’t able to work out a deal this offseason, but after the veteran cornerback was released by the Indianapolis Colts last week, he returns to add quality depth at a position group in desperate need of it.
The Packers inked Ballentine to a deal after free agent arrival Nate Hobbs was forced to undergo knee surgery that will sideline him until at least Week 1.
Corey Ballentine Reveals Why he Signed with Packers
Ballentine says that there was one major factor motivating him to re-sign with the Packers, when the opportunity presented itself.
“I like my coaches here, I feel like they helped me get better, and I like the guys here, we push each other to get better,” Ballentine told reporters after Tuesday’s practice, his first since returning. “So I definitely would prefer for it to be here over another team.”
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Ballentine, 29, spent the past three seasons with the Packers, producing 54 total tackles with one interception over that span as a contributor on defense as well as on special teams.
Having a firm grasp of the scheme, and the coaching staff was a driving force, Ballentine says, behind returning to the Packers.
“I’m familiar with (the playbooks), so some things I was picking up really quickly, but everyone kind of expected me to know everything, so it was like, ‘It has been a little bit,'” Ballentine said. “I’m still learning, but I’ll get the hang of it.”
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