The Los Angeles Chargers lost a number of players in free agency this offseason as part of their plan to re-shape the team's personnel around their two new coordinators— Mike McDaniel and Chris O'Leary.
The Chargers lost the entirety of last season's starting interior offensive line. Zion Johnson departed to the Cleveland Browns, while Bradley Bozeman retired and Mekhi Becton was released. They also parted with a great portion of their offensive-line depth, including Jamaree Salyer and Austin Deculus.
On the defensive side of the ball, both Da'Shawn Hand and Otito Ogbonnia departed in free agency, as did rotational cornerback Benjamin St-Juste.
Of these pieces, St-Juste may have had the sneakiest chance at making an impact on his new team. He played 37% of defensive snaps for the Chargers in 2025, and he showed some major upside as a coverage corner in Jesse Minter's scheme compared to his time with the Washington Commanders. While Los Angeles was never going to match it, he certainly earned his two-year, $10 million deal with the Green Bay Packers.
But as St-Juste rehabs an undisclosed injury during the Packers' offseason program, it's clear he may face a stiffer battle than anticipated as he tries to carve out a larger role on his new team.
Benjamin St-Juste's role with the Packers could quietly be minimized despite his pay-raise
The Chargers, time and time again under this new regime, have shown their confidence in recycling defensive talent, especially in the secondary. This year, they'll hope that Cam Hart and Tarheeb Still are ready to take strides. Last year, that gamble partially hinged on St-Juste.
The Minnesota product delivered, posting the ninth-best coverage grade out of 114 qualified corners (per Pro Football Focus) and totaling three PBUs on just 245 coverage snaps.
But just like the Chargers, Green Bay's two starting outside corners are already set in stone— Carrington Valentine and Keisean Nixon. Beyond that, though, the Packers' second-round selection, cornerback Brandon Cisse, has evidently impressed in OTAs during St-Juste's absence. While Valentine and Nixon have taken the bulk of first-team reps, Cisse has stepped in for Valentine at various points throughout the offseason program.
This isn't necessarily surprising. Cisse was regarded as one of the best corners in this year's draft class after his productive final season at South Carolina. But as St-Juste loses precious time to assert himself in the position battle, it seems more and more likely that he'll be stuck as the fourth corner again on his new team's depth chart.
There's also a chance that sixth-round rookie Domani Jackson eats into St-Juste's snaps as well over the course of the regular season.
That was St-Juste's role on the Chargers, but he was being paid just $2.5 million on his one-year deal. Green Bay has doubled that investment, and it seemed like he was slated for a bigger role as a result.
But things don't necessarily seem to be breaking St-Juste's way this offseason.
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