The Green Bay Packers tried to move Rasul Douglas into the nickel spot last year, but this year he moves back outside for a few reasons.

Fortunately, the team is currently hole-less at the position. Keisean Nixon, last year's All-Pro kick returner, is getting the first crack at the nickel job. Matt LaFleur and co. are giving him every opportunity to win the job and it will be interesting to see how he handles the next several weeks.

But, that doesn't mean the job is his lose. If Nixon slips, there will certainly be others around to capitalize.

Let's check out who those guys are.

Packers Players Competing for a Nickel Job

Corey Ballentine

Per Pro Football Focus, Ballentine has played just 17 defensive snaps over the last two seasons and 16 of those most recently came at outside corner, not nickel.

However, back in 2019, Ballentine recorded 279 at nickel for the New York Giants. He even started at least one game at the position, so it wasn't like he was primarily filling in during games.

He didn't play a single snap until Week 10 of last year, but finished the season with sixth-most special teams tackles and his 106 special teams snaps from Weeks 10-18 were fifth-most on the Packers.

In other words: he carved out a pretty nice role.

With Nixon leading the way, this job will certainly come down to special teams and right now, it looks like Ballentine has the momentum.

Shemar Jean-Charles

Jean-Charles is trying to bounce back from an injury that set him back in 2022 and so far, he’s saying all the right things heading into camp.

"You prepare, so you study a lot. [You] watch a lot film [and] ask a lot of questions. And you learn from your past mistakes," Charles recently told reporters when asked how he handles the responsibilities that come with playing nickel. "… I pride myself in being a smart player."

The nickel position certainly is a tough position to play. Playing cornerback is already hard enough in its own right. Nickel corners not only have to cover an ever-evolving set of slot receivers and tight ends, but they are also key in run support and could also be asked to blitz, depending on the coach and scheme, of course.

Jean-Charles played mostly on the outside in college, but the mindset that's accompanying his transition to nickel is making things a lot easier on him.

"… It's been smooth. The biggest thing is confidence at DB. I feel like I can play anywhere. Being the smallest guy out there, I feel like I'm 200-pounds up here, sometimes," Jean-Charles said, laughing, as he pointed to his head. "If coach needs me to play safety, I'll do it. I'll play inside and out, whether I'm with the 1s, 2s, and 3s."

Jean-Charles is probably the next-best fit at nickel, but that doesn't mean he's a lock to make the roster. He was able to carve out a special teams role before his injury, but Ballentine ended up a core member of the unit and eventually made Jean-Charles a healthy scratch at points.

"I know special teams are big. Especially with coach Rich [Bisaccia]" said Charles. "We've been conversing all summer [about] the big plans he has for me and the guys… this year on special teams. It's going to allow us to make a lot of plays. I feel like it's going to be a big part of me being on this team."

It'll be interesting to see what happens, here. Jean-Charles' versatility and special teams play will keep him in the mix, but he's going to have to make some plays on the field if he wants to make the final roster.

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A big part of how this shakes out is the health of Eric Stokes. The Packers have their top-4 corners set in Stokes, Nixon, Jaire Alexander, and Rasul Douglas, but if Stokes starts the year on the PUP, that obviously opens up a roster spot for someone else. 

Carrington Valentine is another name to watch, here. Especially after LaFleur's June comment.

“I thought ‘CV’ has done an unbelievable job,” said LaFleur. “You can really see the body movement skills that he possesses, and he’s been working hard. I think there’s been some great lessons along the way, but he’s a guy that certainly has the talent. It’s going to be on him to put it all together and go out there and do it in the preseason.”

If Ballentine continues his momentum and Valentine continues to impress, then the Packers will likely carry six corners on their roster, even with Stokes potentially on PUP. LaFleur has carried more than six corners just one time since he became Packers head coach and that was in 2019 – his first year.

Simply based off momentum, it seems like Jean-Charles is the on the outside looking in. But the key, here, is Nixon has to make the best of his opportunity. Because the Packers cornerback situation suddenly looks nowhere near as good if he doesn't.

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