One of the Green Bay Packers‘ starting cornerbacks has begun to generate trade buzz around the NFL with less than two weeks to go until 53-man roster cuts.
According to Packer Report’s Easton Butler, the Packers have received calls from three different teams about the trade availability of starting cornerback Carrington Valentine, including former defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley’s new Miami Dolphins squad.
“Teams have been calling the Packers about the availability of CB Carrington Valentine,” Butler reported August 18 on X. “The three teams that have called are the Pittsburgh Steelers, Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals. Valentine is on the last year of his rookie deal, where he is scheduled to make $3.7 million this year.”
Valentine only just returned to 11-on-11 drills on Tuesday after suffering a hamstring injury on August 2 that had slowed him in practice. That said, the 25-year-old has started 30 games for the Packers over his first three seasons and would have valuable experience to offer any team with a cornerback deficiency looking to trade for him.
Whether the Packers would entertain trading Valentine is another question, though.
Carrington Valentine Could Fit Well With Hafley’s Dolphins
Of the three reported suitors, the Dolphins make the most sense to trade for Valentine, given that the team’s newly hired head coach and general manager are both ex-Packers.
Back in January, the Dolphins hired former Packers executive Jon-Eric Sullivan as their new general manager and, less than two weeks later, brought in Hafley — who served as the Packers’ defensive coordinator from 2024 to 2025 — as the team’s next head coach.
Since then, Miami has also brought in several former Packers players and coaches who made impressions on either Hafley or Sullivan (or both) during their time in Green Bay. They signed former Packers backup Malik Willis as their new starting quarterback along with tight end/fullback Ben Sims. They also hired six former Packers coaches.
Valentine would fit in Miami for more than just the connections, though.
The Dolphins have first-round rookie Chris Johnson penciled in as their starting nickel cornerback on their initial depth chart, but they are banking on big improvements from Jason Marshall Jr. (2025 fifth-rounder) and JuJu Brents — who is currently missing time at camp with injuries — to fill out their boundary roles, which is a moderate risk.
Valentine has experienced some inconsistency in Green Bay, but he would come in and challenge right away for a starting job with the Dolphins if they acquired him in a trade. He would also have the benefit of knowing Hafley’s defensive system, having played the best season of his career for Hafley in 2024, when he tallied his only two interceptions.
Would Packers Actually Trade Carrington Valentine?
While Valentine would fit in nicely with the Dolphins, the biggest question amid trade calls is about the Packers: Would they actually part ways with their returning starter?
The Packers have made no secret about their desire to have a cornerback competition heading into the 2026 season. Not only do they return both of their top corners from 2025 in Valentine and Keisean Nixon, but they also added three new faces during the offseason: veteran Benjamin St-Juste and rookies Brandon Cisse and Domani Jackson.
Even if Valentine loses his starting job to Cisse or St-Juste entering the season, though, the Packers may not have any interest in cutting ties with one of their most experienced cornerbacks in the room, especially after how things unfolded at the position in 2025.
On the other hand, two things could potentially sway the Packers into a trade: an offer too good for them to refuse (like the one the Buffalo Bills made for Rasul Douglas at the 2023 trade deadline) or an acceptance that they won’t re-sign Valentine after this year.
Butler shared no details about offers or terms, but the Packers would most likely have a tough time turning down a Day 2 trade offer from any of the three AFC teams. Even an early-round Day 3 selection could tempt them to deal away Valentine, whom they took in the seventh round of the 2023 draft.
The Packers could also cut a deal if they have already decided they won’t bring back Valentine after the 2026 season. His four-year rookie contract will expire next March, and while the Packers could let him walk and play the compensatory-pick game, a trade would net them a draft pick — likely a better one — much quicker.
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