Stokes’ Season Likely Over Following Injury

Green Bay Packers cornerback Eric Stokes likely suffered a season-ending injury last week at the Detroit Lions.

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Nov 11, 2022 1:41 PM EST

In this story:

GREEN BAY, Wis. – It’s “looking unlikely” that Green Bay Packers cornerback Eric Stokes will play again this season, adding more injury to the insult of last week’s loss at the Detroit Lions.

Stokes suffered ankle and knee injuries while helping tackle Jamaal Williams on the second series. A source said it was more of a football injury than a turf injury. He got landed on but his right foot did stick in the turf rather that slide.

Stokes and his team were still mulling its options, a source said earlier in the day. He wouldn’t elaborate but that could mean the choices are rehab or surgery.

A first-round pick in 2021, Stokes has started 23 of a possible 26 games. He was worthy of all-rookie consideration last year, when he was thrust into a major role following Jaire Alexander’s shoulder injury. According to SportRadar, he allowed a 49.5 percent completion rate and 71.3 passer rating last year but 80 percent with a 123.5 passer rating this season.

Green Bay’s defense, the unit that was supposed to carry the club into the post-Davante Adams era, ranks 15th in the NFL with 20.9 points allowed per game even while ranking sixth in total defense and second against the pass. That group had been mostly healthy all season, with only Alexander missing a game among the starters, but linebacker De'Vondre Campbell suffered a knee injury at Buffalo and Stokes and outside linebacker Rashan Gary (ACL) suffered major injuries against the Lions.

Without Stokes on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys, the Packers will line up with Jaire Alexander and Rasul Douglas as the cornerbacks in their base defense. In nickel, Keisean Nixon could man the slot. That’s how they adjusted against Detroit. They could go that route again, or they could go with Alexander and Douglas as the corners and Darnell Savage in the slot, with Rudy Ford replacing Savage at safety. Ultimately, in the next week or two, the addition of Johnathan Abram could free up Savage to play in the slot.

Either way, Stokes’ pain could be Douglas’ gain. He had five interceptions in 12 games last season and, until this year, had played only a smattering of snaps in the slot since entering the NFL in 2017.

“Last year when he came in, I thought it was really good, he did a great job,” secondary coach and defensive passing game coordinator Jerry Gray said on Wednesday.

“This year, OK, what can we do with our guys, with the ability that they have? Especially with Stokes outside, Ja outside, it gave us a chance to put all three of our guys on the field at the same time. That was good. And then with what’s going on with Stokes right now, I think that gave us a chance last week to put Rasul back outside [and we] had to put Keisean inside. Now, we get a week, we get a chance to game plan what’s best for the Green Bay Packers and let’s go.”