Green Bay Packers Eric Stokes Looking Fit and Fast at OTAs

The 2024 NFL offseason didn’t get off on the right foot for Green Bay Packers cornerback Eric Stokes. A first-round pick out of Georgia in the 2021 NFL Draft, the team declined the fifth-year option on his rookie contract.

That means Eric Stokes will be a free agent after the 2024 season. Based on his track record through three seasons, it is hard to blame the Green Bay Packers for making that decision. The Georgia product has struggled to stay healthy, essentially forcing their hand.

However, declining the fifth-year option doesn’t necessarily mean that his tenure in Green Bay will be coming to an end. If he plays well, the Packers will certainly look to bring him back, especially since there are some questions at cornerback.

The starting job opposite of Jaire Alexander is currently up for grabs. Eric Stokes is one of the guys who will be vying for that spot and OTAs is the first chance for him to make an impression. So far so good in that regard, as Stokes is healthy, looking fit and fast at practice.

“I think what this offseason has afforded him was an ability to train. It’s a lot different when you’re coming off an injury and you’re trying to rehab versus when you’re fully healthy and you can train the right way,” LaFleur said last week. “When you look at him physically, his body looks different. He’s hitting some fast speeds out there at practice. I can tell mentally he feels like he’s in a great place.” (H/T Packers Wire)

In an important season for his NFL future, it is great to hear that Eric Stokes is healthy and his body is feeling good. This is his last chance to prove to the Green Bay Packers that he is worth investing in as a long-term piece of their defense.

During his rookie season, it looked as if Green Bay had hit a home run with Stokes. He was excellent, but injuries have derailed him since. During his sophomore season, knee and foot injuries cost him the final eight games. In 2023, he played in only three contests.

It has never been an issue with talent for Eric Stokes. If he can stay healthy and produce near the level he did as a rookie, the Packers will have a strong secondary to rely on.

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