During the week, Green Bay Packers star corner Jaire Alexander was clear that the team was not going to mail it in following the Rasul Douglas trade. He made it clear that the standard was still very high even though the team was looking at starting a couple of rookies. One rookie, Carrington Valentine, stepped up in a big way and Alexander praised him after the game.
Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin.
Green Bay Packers Jaire Alexander Praises Carrington Valentine
While Matthew Stafford was out, the Rams still have a couple of great receivers in Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. Valentine, a seventh-round rookie out of Kentucky, locked down Nacua throughout the day. The Rams didn’t score a touchdown despite having one of the better offenses in the league. He broke up passes and played with all of the confidence in the world. Alexander took notice.
“Man, 37 played like a top-tier corner in the league and it’s exciting to see. He will continue to do that because that’s the standard now … I can’t be more happy to play alongside somebody like that.”
Losing Douglas hurt but it is giving chances for players like Valentine. If he can turn into a good secondary piece, the Packers will have a good secondary moving forward.
Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
Not The Only Rookie Who Played Well
Valentine wasn’t the only seventh-round rookie to start for the Packers. With Rudy Ford out, Anthony Johnson Jr. started at safety and played very well. He got his first career interception off of a tipped ball by Alexander and didn’t give up any huge plays. While Johnson Jr. may not turn into a superstar, if the Packers have found serviceable pieces in the seventh round it will go a long way in helping this rebuild.
The fear was that this secondary was going to struggle after the Douglas trade. For at least one game, they looked as good as ever.
For More Great Wisconsin Sports Content
Follow me on Twitter at @sorcerermatt, and follow us @WiSportsHeroics. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Wisconsin sports, click here!
