When the Packers used a first-round pick in 2021 on Eric Stokes out of Georgia, they felt they were fixing an issue that had been exposed during the previous season’s NFC championship game, when Tom Brady laid three touchdowns on the Green Bay defense in the first 32 minutes of the game, quelling the Packers’ chance to stage a comeback and get to the Super Bowl.
WithJaire Alexander quickly rising to stardom in one cornerback slot, the feeling was that Stokes would provide a good bookend.
It’s never really worked out, though. While Alexander has struggled to stay healthy recently, Stokes has been banged up for the last three years, mostly with foot/ankle and hamstring injuries, after a very promising rookie season. Stokes played 12 games in the past two seasons, and while he has played 14 this year, it’s clear injuries have prevented him from being the guy the Packers hoped he’d be.
At Pro Football Focus, Stokes has earned a grade of 57.0, which is 85th out of 115 corners in the NFL. He has not had an interception–or even a pass defensed– since his rookie year, and Stokes has allowed a passer rating of 103.5 when quarterbacks go his way, according to Pro-Football Reference.
Leave a Reply