Eric Stokes

Packers Place CB Eric Stokes Back On IR

The 2023 season is going to be one to forget for Packers cornerback Eric Stokes. Two weeks after being activated from injured reserve, the 24-year-old out of Georgia will be headed back to IR for the remainder of the season. His 2023 season ends now after only three games played.

Stokes, a first-round pick out of Georgia two seasons ago, started out his career on a strong note. As a rookie, he missed only one game while starting 14. He put up strong numbers in pass defense, as well, recording an interception and 14 passes defensed. His sophomore season started off in a similar fashion. He started the first nine games of the season and recorded fewer stats, with quarterbacks targeting him at a much lower rate.

Unfortunately, this is when his injury troubles started. After structural damage was discovered in testing on ankle and knee injuries, Stokes was shut down for the second half of 2022. He was forced to undergo surgeries to his knee and foot in the offseason and faced a tough road back to a starting role with the emergence of Rasul Douglas across from Jaire Alexander and primary kick returner Keisean Nixon excelling in the slot.

Stokes started the 2023 season on the reserve/physically unable to perform list and was finally activated in mid-October, days before the team completed a trade that sent Douglas to Buffalo. Perhaps expecting Stokes to slide back into the starting role, Green Bay was surely disappointed when, after only four special teams snaps, Stokes was placed back on IR with a hamstring injury.

In part of his long road to recovery, Stokes finally was activated once again in time to start the Packers’ last two games. Unfortunately for both parties, Stokes’ hamstring issue has lingered, forcing the young corner back onto IR in a solemn continuation of hardship. Assuming his absences cease in next year’s season opener, Stokes will have missed 22 of a possible 25 games dating back to the ankle injury that started it all last season.

With Alexander serving a team-enforced suspension for crashing an official coin toss despite not being named a captain for the game, Green Bay’s stores are looking fairly bare. Robert Rochell is currently questionable with a neck injury, leaving Nixon to start alongside the likes of rookie seventh-round pick Carrington Valentine, Corey Ballentine, and David Long.

They will be joined by practice squad safety Benny Sapp III, who will serve as one of the team’s two standard gameday elevations tomorrow. In addition to Sapp, the Packers will also call up wide receiver Bo Melton.

Packers Activate CB Eric Stokes

Eric Stokes has continued to miss game action after returning to practice, but that could change tomorrow. The Packers announced on Saturday that the former first-round corner has been activated from injured reserve.

Stokes returned to practice late last month, opening his 21-day activation window. He would have reverted to season-ending IR in the event he was not brought back into the fold within that timeframe. Instead, Green Bay will now have a former starter available for just the second time this season in time for Week 15.

The Georgia alum saw his first-team role disappear in 2023 with Rasul Douglas being used on the perimeter. The latter was dealt to the Bills at the trade deadline, however, clearing a path for Stokes to reclaim a starting spot. He logged only four special teams snaps in his lone action of the season so far (Week 7), so it will be worth watching how large of a workload he is given upon his return to action.

Fellow corner Jaire Alexander has been out for more than one month, so Stokes’ return will be a welcomed sight. Injuries have been a concern for Stokes during his relatively brief Green Bay tenure, and a healthy finish to the campaign would be signficant. The 24-year-old required foot and knee surgeries this offseason, and his most recent absence was caused by a hamstring injury. Stokes struggled last season after an encouraging rookie campaign, so his ability to rebound down the stretch in 2023 will be a key storyline to watch.

The Packers need to make a decision on Stokes’ fifth-year option this spring. Picking up the 2025 option would lock him into a salary of $11.28MM for that season, a costly figure given his play to date and the CB investment (four years, $84MM) already made in Alexander last offseason. For the time being, however, Green Bay will look to use Stokes to boost a defense which already ranks top-10 against the pass.

Sitting at 6-7 on the year, the team is in play for an NFC wild-card spot. Green Bay’s push for a postseason berth at the start of the Jordan Love era will depend in large part on the play of the first-year starting quarterback, of course, but Stokes could have a notable role to play as well. The Packers have six IR activations remaining.

Packers Designate Eric Stokes For Return

Injuries have now sidetracked two Eric Stokes seasons. After a Lisfranc injury sidelined Stokes midway through last season, and after he rehabbed this year, multiple hamstring ailments led him to the reserve/PUP list. Stokes returned for one game but exited with more hamstring trouble.

The former first-round pick logged just four special teams snaps against the Broncos in Week 7, leaving with his latest hamstring malady. The Packers still have the former starter in their plans, however. The team designated Stokes for return from IR on Monday, starting his activation clock.

Stokes could soon be the rare player to come off the reserve/PUP list and IR in the same season. The Packers also designated Darnell Savage for return last week. Green Bay has not used an IR activation this season, putting the 5-6 team in good shape as it guns for a wild-card spot.

The Packers’ cornerback equation has also changed since Stokes was activated from the PUP list. Sitting 2-5 at the trade deadline, the Pack dealt starter Rasul Douglas to the Bills in a pick-swap transaction that brought back a 2024 third-round pick. Douglas was in place as a starter in front of Stokes, who had been a boundary starter in 2021 and ’22. The Packers had slid Douglas to the slot in 2022, attempting to accommodate Stokes and Jaire Alexander, but moved him back to his best position this season. With Douglas out of the picture, Green Bay has seen its cornerback equation change since the deadline.

Alexander has missed the past three games with a shoulder injury, moving Corey Ballentine into the starting lineup. In the only post-Douglas game with Alexander healthy, the Packers had he, Carrington Valentine and Keisean Nixon in place at corner. Pro Football Focus ranks Valentine, a seventh-round rookie, 65th overall among corners. The Packers have withstood Douglas’ departure, however, and are 2-1 without Alexander. Their CB group could again have some depth soon, with Stokes likely to give it another go.

Chosen 29th overall in 2021, Stokes impressed as a rookie but did not fare as well last season. The Georgia product allowed a completion percentage of 80% when in coverage, leading to an opposing passer rating of 123.5. Stokes needed foot and knee surgeries this offseason. While his career has not gone as the Packers envisioned, the 6-foot defender should soon have another chance to contribute.

Packers Place Darnell Savage, Eric Stokes On IR

The Packers announced a flurry of roster moves today to take care of some injury business. Green Bay had to send safety Darnell Savage and cornerback Eric Stokes to injured reserve, requiring the signing of two practice squad defensive backs to come up and fill their place.

Savage, the Packers starting free safety of the past five years, is playing in a contract year after having his fifth-year option picked up. Unfortunately, this last season before hitting the open market will include a stint on IR after the Maryland alum suffered a calf injury, according to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. With Savage expected to need a month or so to heal, former Houston starter Jonathan Owens will likely take his place in the starting lineup next to Rudy Ford.

Stokes is returning to IR after a heart-breaking four days. The young cornerback out of Georgia missed the back half of last season with an ankle injury then underwent both foot and knee surgeries in the offseason. Not fully healed at the start of this year, Stokes has been on Green Bay’s reserve/PUP list all season, up until four days ago.

Green Bay partially activated Stokes out of necessity in order to ensure he would be able to avoid spending the full season on the PUP list, after being designated to return. After only four special teams snaps in Week 7, though, Stokes will land on IR for a second straight season. The injury sending him back to IR is being designated as a hamstring malady.

The Packers decided to fill the two vacant roster spots by signing practice squad players to the active roster, one of whom came from another team’s practice squad. The team decided to add cornerback Robert Rochell off the Panthers’ practice squad and promote cornerback Corey Ballentine from their own. Cornerback Zyon Gilbert will join the Packers’ practice squad, filling the spot vacated by Ballentine.

With Stokes on IR and Jaire Alexander continuing to battle the injury bug, the focus on cornerbacks is completely understandable. With a three-game upcoming stretch that includes games against the Chargers, Lions, and Chiefs, Green Bay will be working hard to get their secondary right.

Packers Activate CB Eric Stokes

The Packers are set to have another high-profile cornerback available in time for their Week 7 contest. Eric Stokes was activated from the PUP list on Saturday, clearing the way for a return to game action tomorrow.

Stokes was designated for return more than two weeks ago, so the Packers could only have afforded for him to miss one more contest before risking him reverting to season-ending IR. Instead, the former first-rounder will now be able to suit up for the first time since last November, the point at which his second NFL campaign came to an end.

Stokes underwent foot and knee surgeries this offseason to address the ailments which limited him to nine contests last year. Those injuries also added to the time both he and fellow CB Jaire Alexander have missed during their time in Green Bay, which has severely limited their ability to take the field together. Alexander is comfortably set to continue his starting role upon the team’s return from the bye, but the same cannot be said of Stokes.

The latter, as foreshadowed in the offseason, is likely to take on backup duties as he works his way back into the fold. Green Bay has Alexander, along with Rasul Douglas and Keisean Nixon in place atop the CB depth chart, and no member of that trio will be asked to move positions or take on second-team duties with Stokes now in play. The Georgia alum has started 23 of his 25 games to date, and he showed considerable promise as a rookie with one interception and 14 pass deflections.

Last year, however, Stokes allowed a completion percentage of 80% when in coverage, leading to an opposing passer rating of 123.5. The Packers’ defense as a whole has generally failed to live up to expectations under DC Joe Barry, but Stokes will personally face notable scrutiny upon return in whatever capacity he serves in. Sitting at 2-3, Green Bay ranks ninth in the NFL against the pass, so it comes as little surprise that the team will not alter its backfield to accommodate Stokes’ return. At a minimum, he will provide depth at the CB spot as he prepares to suit up for the first time in nearly one calendar year.

DB Notes: Packers, Chinn, CJGJ, Roby, Rams

The Packers do not likely have a starting spot waiting for Eric Stokes upon his return. As we heard in June, the 2021 first-round pick is on track to return as a backup. Green Bay has Jaire Alexander, Rasul Douglas and Keisean Nixon as its top three corners, and unlike 2022, the team is not planning on changing Douglas’ position to accommodate a cornerback surplus. Douglas moving to safety appears a non-starter, per The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman. Last season, the Packers moved Douglas to a slot role to make room for the returning Alexander. After Stokes’ midseason Lisfranc injury, Douglas moved back to his more natural boundary position.

Stokes, who underwent foot and knee surgeries this offseason, remains on the Packers’ reserve/PUP list. The team designated him for return two weeks ago, setting his activation deadline at Oct. 24. Stokes was running at full speed in July and would have been ready to come back had multiple hamstring issues not slowed him during training camp, Schneidman adds. Stokes fared better as a rookie, when the Pack were down Alexander, than he did last season. Pro Football Focus graded Stokes outside the top 100 among corners last season, and this backup role does not present an ideal rebound opportunity.

Here is the latest from NFL secondaries:

  • Mentioned as a trade candidate last week, Jeremy Chinn now looks likely to finish his contract year in Carolina. The fourth-year Panthers safety sustained a significant quadriceps injury that ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter expects to sideline him for up to six weeks. Despite being a versatile cog who has been a Panthers regular throughout his career, Chinn has seen his playing time dip in Ejiro Evero‘s defense this season. After logging snap rates over 90% from 2020-22, the former Defensive Rookie of the Year runner-up has played 52% of Carolina’s defensive snaps. The Panthers prioritized Chinn as a foundational piece before last year’s deadline; his stock has fallen since.
  • Bradley Roby avoided the worst-case scenario after suffering a pectoral injury in Week 6. The recent Eagles addition sustained a pectoral strain, per NFL reporter Jordan Schultz, who adds the 10th-year cornerback will avoid IR. In the two games since being signed and quickly promoted to the 53-man roster, Roby has played 46% of Philadelphia’s defensive snaps. The Eagles have already lost their top slot corner, Avonte Maddox. Roby’s setback represents another blow for the defending NFC champions, but the 31-year-old cover man should be back fairly soon.
  • C.J. Gardner-Johnson is navigating a longer return timetable, suffering a torn pec in Week 2. The Lions safety, who led the NFL in INTs during his Eagles one-off last season, is believed to be months away from coming back — if he is to return at all — according to the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett. Pectoral tears often end players’ seasons, so it will be interesting if Gardner-Johnson becomes a true candidate to come off IR down the stretch — perhaps if Detroit makes the playoffs.
  • Rams corner Derion Kendrick faces two misdemeanor charges in connection with his recent gun arrest, Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times notes. Arrested Monday morning, Kendrick was charged with carrying a concealed weapon and possessing a loaded firearm. While teams regularly deploy players after arrests, waiting for NFL suspensions to come down later, Kendrick did not practice with the Rams upon his release from custody. The 2022 sixth-round pick has started all six Rams games this year. Discipline should be expected, but until a ban surfaces, Kendrick will likely continue to suit up for the team.
  • In a Ravens workout that led to safety Andrew Adams being signed, Eric Rowe received an audition, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. An eight-year veteran, Rowe spent the past four seasons with the Dolphins. Rowe, 31, signed a one-year, $1.32MM Panthers deal this offseason but did not make the team. Carolina released Rowe from its practice squad last month.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/3/23

Today’s minor moves:

Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Tennessee Titans

Packers Place CB Eric Stokes On PUP, Set 53-Man Roster

The Packers will roll into the 2023 campaign without cornerback Eric Stokes, who was placed on PUP today. The organization made additional moves to get to the 53-man roster limit:

Released:

Waived:

Placed on reserve/PUP:

Placed on IR:

Waived/injured:

Stokes continues to rehab from foot and knee injuries that limited him to only nine games in 2022. His placement on PUP means he’ll have to sit out at least the first four games before being eligible for activation. The 2021 first-round pick has started 23 of his 25 appearances for the Packers, collecting 81 tackles, 14 passes defended, and one interception.

Meanwhile, Moore won’t be eligible to play for the Packers in 2023 after getting placed on injured reserve with a knee injury. Moore joined the Packers this offseason after spending the first five seasons of his career with the 49ers. He sat out the entire 2021 campaign but otherwise appeared in 61 games across four healthy seasons with San Francisco, collecting 108 tackles.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/21/23

Here are today’s minor transactions from around the league as teams prepare their rosters for training camp:

Baltimore Ravens

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots

New York Jets

Washington Commanders

 

There are some big names in Baltimore that won’t be healthy to open camp. Two offensive youngsters who can’t seem to stay on the field, Dobbins and Bateman, continue to struggle to get healthy. Bateman sat out most of the spring after receiving a cortisone shot in hopes it would help get him back in time for camp. While he didn’t report, general manager Eric DeCosta expects him back soon, according to the team’s editorial director Ryan Mink. Dobbins has started thinking about his second contract this summer, and getting healthy will be key to gaining any leverage in negotiations. Ricard is no surprise, as head coach John Harbaugh predicted this placement a month ago. Bowser, though, experienced an unexpected flare up in his knee this spring after missing eight games last season.

In Cleveland, Goodwin experienced a medical scare recently when discomfort in his legs and shortness of breath turned out to be blood clots in his legs and lungs, according to James Palmer of NFL Network. He will miss the start of training camp as the clots are addressed.

In Denver, a kicking competition appears to be in the cards. The team held a workout for Maher, Elliott Fry, and Parker White back in May and ended up signing Fry. Now, with Maher joining the team, and the exit of Brandon McManus, the position battle between Maher and Fry will continue.

In Wisconsin, Gary and Stokes each ended their season after Week 9 of last year due to long-term injuries. Both will continue slowly working their way back in order to play big roles on defense.

In Vegas, Wilson, this year’s seventh overall pick, will have to be patient in finding his way to the field for his rookie year. He was expected to be cleared for training camp after ending his college career with a Lisfranc injury, but he’ll have to wait just a bit longer. The Raiders are counting on him to relieve some of the defensive responsibilities of Chandler Jones and Maxx Crosby.

Packers CB Eric Stokes Not Likely To Start

When former Georgia cornerback Eric Stokes was drafted 29th overall in 2021 by the Packers, he was immediately thrust into action as a rookie starter. He performed well as an injury replacement for Jaire Alexander and, at times, Rasul Douglas, but with both returning to form and healthy, Stokes may be coming off the bench for the first time in his career, according to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic.

Stokes started 14 games during that rookie season when Alexander and Douglas missed a combined 18 games. He graded out well in coverage, recording an interception and 14 passes defensed and did well enough as a rookie to slot himself in as a starter over Douglas on the depth chart to begin his sophomore season. Unfortunately, after struggling through a bit of a sophomore slump, the decision was made for the coaches as an ankle injury forced Stokes to miss the final eight games of the season.

Now Alexander and Douglas are fully healthy and are both coming off strong seasons. Alexander continues to be one of the NFL’s top defensive backs, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), rebounding from his major injury in 2021 to grade out as the 8th best cornerback in the league. Douglas ran with the opportunity to start in place of Stokes on the outside and delivered a performance that graded him out as the 30th best cornerback in the league, according to PFF.

Schneidman also points out that cornerback and return specialist Keisean Nixon excelled down the stretch last season in the slot for Green Bay, likely solidifying his as the starting nickelback for 2023. He started four games for the Packers, with three coming consecutively late in the year.

So, after a down second season that saw him grade out as the 105th graded cornerback by PFF, it looks like Stokes will be coming off the bench to fill in for Alexander, Douglas, and Nixon in his return from last year’s season-ending injury. He may not be starting, but he’d be smart to stay ready. Although Alexander and Douglas both appeared in nearly every game last year (Alexander missed one), neither are far removed from injuries, and with Nixon’s heavy involvement on special teams, Stokes should earn ample time rotating in.