Eric Stokes is entering a make-or-break season with the Green Bay Packers after injuries limited the former first-round cornerback to just 12 games over the past two seasons. If the right team comes calling with a good offer, though, would the Packers instead be willing to trade him before the start of the 2024 season?
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Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine took that possibility and ran with it in his recent trade proposal involving Stokes. He suggested the Packers could be looking to improve their 2025 draft stock with quarterback Jordan Love expected to sign a long-term extension in the coming weeks. And, in his mind, the Denver Broncos could make a fine partner.
The Broncos have one of the NFL’s top cornerbacks in Pat Surtain II, but the No. 2 role opposite him is undefined with Riley Moss, Damarri Mathis and veteran Levi Wallace all in the mix for the job during training camp. Denver also saw opposing offenses pick on its non-Surtain boundary corners throughout the 2023 season, so the team is likely putting an additional emphasis on filling the position with a more reliable talent.
Now, the Packers are also looking to nail down their No. 2 corner opposite their own top dog, Jaire Alexander. But if the Broncos make a strong offer in the same vein as what Ballentine proposes — a 2025 fourth-round pick — it might be too good for them to pass up, especially if other corners convincingly push Stokes for the job in camp.
“Eric Stokes is in the final year of his rookie contract and has a first-round pedigree,” Ballentine wrote on July 26. “Unfortunately, injuries have limited him to 12 games over the last two seasons, and the Packers might jump at the chance to improve their draft stock for next season.”
Eric Stokes Remains in the Hunt for Packers’ CB2 Job
Stokes’ mention as a potential trade candidate is not too surprising. The No. 29 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft has not lived up to expectations, mainly because his injuries have kept him off the field for long periods. The Packers also declined to pick up Stokes’ fifth-year option back in May, setting him on a course to hit free agency next March.
Still, Stokes is currently the leading contender to win the No. 2 cornerback job in 2024. Carrington Valentine, a 2023 seventh-round pick, is also in the mix after holding down the role down the stretch last season (and playing admirably for his youth), but Green Bay likely wants to see if Stokes can recapture the promise he showed as a rookie.
Even if Stokes does not win back the starting job from Valentine, he would provide the Packers with quality depth that could prove invaluable to their defense in 2024. They have other depth pieces in place, such as re-signed veteran Corey Ballentine, but it is easy to see the appeal of having a cornerback with a first-round pedigree available.
Now, there is precedent for the Packers trading a cornerback capable of contributing. They did so in 2023 at the NFL trade deadline when the Buffalo Bills made a strong third-round offer for Rasul Douglas. At the time, though, the Packers thought Stokes would soon rejoin the lineup and got a little bit lucky that Valentine could hold his own.
Maybe a fourth-round offer would be enough to move the Packers off Stokes. And for what it is worth, the Packers would save $2.28 million of the $3.79 million remaining on Stokes’ contract if they traded him. Right now, though, it seems like a long shot.
Early Training Camp Success Bodes Well for Eric Stokes
Speaking of camp, Stokes has been one of the stars of the Packers’ first several practices and is coming off a particularly strong showing during July 24’s session.
According to The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman, Stokes picked off two passes and broke up another one during that practice. On the first, he jumped a route to make a play in front of wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks. Then, later on, he outmatched speedster Christian Watson on a deep ball and swiped his second from quarterback Sean Clifford.
In fairness, Clifford has struggled immensely over the first week serving as the fill-in No. 1 quarterback during Love’s hold-in. The practices have also been unpadded, but it is still reassuring for the Packers to see a healthy Stokes playing with fire on the field.
“There were a lot of days I remember just being out there, I mean not even being out there, just being on the sideline looking at everyone else ball,” Stokes told reporters on July 24. “So now, it feels great for me to do a little action and have fun.”
If the “action” continues for Stokes, you can forget about any notions of a trade.
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