The Green Bay Packers received a great update on talented defender Eric Stokes, who brings even more promise to their upcoming season.
Stokes was Green Bay’s first-round pick in 2021 and had a promising rookie campaign before a Lisfranc injury in 2022. This injury started a slew of injuries that have kept Stokes off the field.
With Stokes healthy, this could be a breakout season where he lives up to the hype he had coming out of Georgia.
Green Bay Packers Secondary Poised For Breakout With Healthy Stokes
The Packers’ secondary was one of their weaknesses in 2023 despite going 9-8 and making it to the Divisional Round. This offseason, they added star safety Xavier McKinney in free agency and safety Javon Bullard in the draft.
Green Bay also has two-time Pro Bowler Jaire Alexander as the centerpiece of their secondary. The Packers’ secondary is poised to break out with their new safety tandem and Stokes healthy.
Stokes had 55 tackles, 14 pass deflections, and an interception in his rookie season (his last healthy campaign). If Green Bay gets that type of production from the speedy cornerback, their secondary could become one of the best in the league.
Head coach Matt LaFleur commented on Stokes seemingly returning to full strength.
“I think he’s as good as I’ve ever seen him,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said of Stokes. “Both mentally, and on the field. I want to temper the expectations with that, but I do really mean that. He’s out there competing each and every day. He looks fully healthy. He’s doing a great job of challenging our wide receivers. He’s always in great phase, and I think you see that personality is back.”
Stokes has dealt with numerous injuries in his young career, but it seems the root cause has been found. The 25-year-old discovered that his foot was too weak to support, inevitably leading to his hamstring injuries.
“It was dealing with everything from the foot injury that I had,” Stokes told reporters this week. “It was bouncing back from that. It’s crazy how everything is connected in your body to where if one area is weak, the other parts of your body will try to take control, or put more workload on it.”
With Stokes and Alexander healthy and the new safety tandem of McKinney and Bullard, the Packers could become an elite unit. It will be up to new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley to maximize the talent in this secondary.
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