GREEN BAY, Wis. -- When it came to cornerbacks last season, it wasn't who started the year but who finished it that told the story of the Green Bay Packers.

Would the team ever have imagined that LaDarius Gunter would be the its No. 1 corner going into the playoffs? Or that the coaches would ask him to be primarily responsible for Odell Beckham Jr., Dez Bryant and Julio Jones in successive weeks?

That's why the Packers aren't panicked over the fact that they may not yet know who their opening-day starters are at cornerback. They believe that no matter who starts, they have as many as a half-dozen capable corners heading into this season.

Last season LaDarius Gunter was chasing down the likes of Julio Jones. This year the Packers CB is in pursuit of playing time. Rob Carr/Getty Images

"From what happened last year, I feel like the coaching staff and everybody is stepping up just in case that happens again this year," cornerback Damarious Randall said. "That's what you need to be great, because the 12th week of the season, we're going to need our fourth, fifth, sixth guy to be ready to go."

By the end of last season, Randall was worn down and struggling. The first-round pick in 2015 missed six games midway through the year because of groin surgery, and after he returned, he wasn't effective. The same went for Quinten Rollins, a second-rounder in 2015. He missed three games during the regular season with a groin injury, then was out for the first two playoff games because of a concussion. Sam Shields, the opening-day No. 1 cornerback, never made it to Week 2. His season -- and Packers career -- ended with the concussion he sustained in the opener.

Yes, Randall and Rollins are healthy, but the addition of Davon House in free agency and Kevin King with the top draft pick (No. 33 overall) ensured that defensive coordinator Dom Capers had more to work with from the get-go. It's been a bonus that second-year pro Josh Hawkins, who played sparingly last year as an undrafted rookie, has made a huge jump this summer.

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With House sidelined because of a hamstring injury and Randall with a concussion, Hawkins started last week's preseason game at Washington and graded out as the Packers' highest-rated cornerback. King was the other starter on the outside, while Rollins played in the slot as the nickel.

If House and King start on the outside, Randall and Rollins will be the top players in the slot -- or the "star" position, as cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt calls it. Hawkins plays mostly on the outside.

That leaves Gunter, the No. 1 cornerback when last season ended, as no higher than No. 5 on the depth chart heading into Saturday's third preseason game at Denver.

"From week to week, you know, I think it could change," Capers said. "Those guys have all played outside, and we're working 'em inside right now. We're trying to get Kevin good work outside. Josh Hawkins, we wanted to get a good look at him. We want to see if he can follow up, you know, and have a second good performance Saturday night."

The Packers also have a few undrafted rookie prospects (Donatello Brown, Lenzy Pipkins and Raysean Pringle chief among them).

"Injuries alone, the fact that we got these guys back healthy this year will not only provide depth but experience as well," outside linebacker Clay Matthews said. "I know Damarious is obviously dealing with his head issue. Whenever you draft a No. 1 guy [King], big things are expected, as well as bringing a veteran guy like House back. Automatically, the experience alone makes this group better. On top of that, we're healthy. You saw last year in the playoffs. We had some tall orders with some of our guys banged up."