Packers free agency predictions: Will CB Eric Stokes return?

Paul Bretl | 2/21/2025

GREEN BAY, Wis. — In the coming weeks, I will take a closer look at the Packers pending free agents in my ‘Re-sign or Let Go and Prediction’ series.

For each free agent I will make a case as to why the Packers should re-sign them and I’ll also discuss why the Packers would let them walk and play elsewhere. Then at the end, I’ll make my prediction.

This will be my third offseason doing this series and through the first two, I’ve gotten 24 of the 27 predictions correct.

Up next, let’s take a closer look at whether or not cornerback Eric Stokes will return for the 2025 season. If you missed our other previews, you can find them below:

Eric Wilson
Isaiah McDuffie
Robert Rochell
TJ Slaton
Tyler Davis

Why the Packers will re-sign Eric Stokes?

Why would the Packers bring back Stokes? I think one of the biggest reasons is the general uncertainty right now at the cornerback position and the lack of experience on the roster.

Jaire Alexander might have played his final snap in a Packers uniform, and if that ends up being the case, the Packers are currently left with Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine, Kamal Hadden, Kalen King, Kaleb Hayes, and Isaiah Dunn at cornerback. Beyond Nixon and Valentine, Dunn’s 116 career defensive snaps over four seasons is the most among the rest.

Hit like and subscribe to my YouTube Channel ‘The Paul Bretl Show’ for more Packers coverage.

So Stokes’ experience alone is quite valuable given the current outlook of the Packers cornerback position. And his potential return shouldn’t stop Brian Gutekunst from continuing to add to this position, but his return does provide Green Bay with some insurance and added stability at the position.

While it was a bit of a rocky start to the 2024 season for Stokes, as he got more comfortable in Jeff Hafley’s scheme his play really started to pick up in the latter half of the year. From Weeks 12-17, Stokes surrendered only seven completions on 15 targets over his last six games. During that span, out of 74 eligible cornerbacks, Stokes’ completion rate of 46.6% is the second-lowest, according to PFF.

“It’s been good,” said Stokes of his play at that time. “Finally getting more comfortable and more comfortable as the weeks go on with the scheme, technique and little stuff and just getting more comfortable as the weeks go on.”

Even when Stokes surrendered a reception in 2024, he’d been able to limit the damage, allowing just 10.0 yards per catch this season. A big difference for him, in what had been a tale of two seasons after allowing a completion rate of 68% through the first nine games, was the confidence he was playing with as he adjusted to his role within the scheme.

“It was just a lot of little things — just getting used to the technique, getting used to some of the other little things all over, and some of the routes and some of the things that we’re getting,” said Stokes on adjusting to Hafley’s defense. “I just had to get used to it, and now I pretty much know what type of defense we run, everybody knows, so we pretty much get hit with the same things over and over, so then you start picking up on it.”

For a position group that currently has its share of question marks, Stokes gives you starting potential, added competition and, at worst, experience off the bench. The floor of the cornerback room is raised with Stokes back on the team, and there’s value in that, given the unknowns at such a key position right now.

“He’s a really good talent, he’s getting better, he’s worked his butt off, he comes in the building (and is) the same guy every day, and he’s been a guy that’s just punching the clock and trying to get better at his craft,” said pass game coordinator Derrick Ansley. “And he’s done that. He practices the right way—runs to the ball, works on his technique, and he’s playing a little bit better going forward.”

Why the Packers won’t re-sign Eric Stokes

For the reasons mentioned, I do think there is a path where the Packers would like to have Stokes back. However, I wouldn’t expect that to be on a lucrative or long-term deal either.

Stokes’ trip to UW-Madison last offseason did pay-off for him as he was able to remain healthy for the 2024 season. However, the two years prior, he did play in just 12 combined games, which is something to be mindful of.

In addition to that, Valentine really took control of the second starting boundary cornerback job late last season, with Stokes playing just six total defensive snaps in the final two games of the season. And while Stokes’ play improved over the course of the season, the lack of ball production does make one wonder how sustainable that is. According to PFF, Stokes hasn’t had an interception or even a pass breakup since his rookie season in 2021.

Put all of that together, and I think Stokes will get more money and contract years on the open market elsewhere. Although his play on his rookie deal in Green Bay didn’t pan out as hoped, we’ve seen over and over throughout the NFL, that high draft pedigree players, which Stokes is as a former first-round pick, with elite traits, which Stokes possesses, running a sub-4.3 second 40-yard dash, get additional opportunities.

Prediction: The Packers won’t re-sign Eric Stokes

The biggest reason for me with this prediction is that I think Stokes, as a former first-round pick, who overall, did have good numbers last season, gets a bigger deal elsewhere.

Perhaps not to the extent that we saw at the safety position in 2024, since Nixon and Valentine are returning, but it feels like at cornerback this offseason, the Packers are at a fork in the road, so to speak, and have to hit the reset button to a degree.

So I would not be surprised if we see the Packers make an addition at cornerback in free agency and then we see Brian Gutekunst spend at least one and maybe even two draft picks on the position as well. This strategy then reduces the need to re-sign Stokes, and that coupled with the reasons mentioned above, results in what I’m guessing would be more team-friendly contract if the Packers were to make Stokes an offer.

Powered By SoCast