Packers on Watson, Stokes, Alexander, Enagbare

Packers coach Matt LaFleur and GM Brian Gutekunst provided updates on Christian Watson, Eric Stokes, Jaire Alexander and Kingsley Enagbare after the 2024 NFL Draft.

Packers WR Christian Watson / Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers were within a whisker of reaching the NFC Championship Game last season despite meager contributions from two of their most talented players.

Cornerback Eric Stokes, who had an all-rookie-caliber season as a first-round pick in 2021, had as many stints on injured lists as he played in games in 2023.

After missing the second half of the 2022 season with a foot injury, he missed all of training camp and spent the first five games of the 2023 season on the physically unable to perform list. His debut at Denver in Game 6 lasted four snaps before he suffered a hamstring injury in punt coverage.

Stokes spent the next seven games on injured reserve before returning and starting the next two games. However, another hamstring injury sent him back to injured reserve, this time permanently ending his season.

Stokes’ final tally: three games played, three touchdowns allowed, three times sidelined by injuries.

“He’s been full go. He looks great,” coach Matt LaFleur said of the early stages of the offseason program.

It was a similar story for receiver Christian Watson. Watson’s emergence down the stretch as a rookie in 2022 almost propelled the Packers into the playoffs. He entered 2023 with expectations to lead a young receiver group by word and by deed.

However, he missed the first three games and the final five games with hamstring injuries.

“He looks great,” LaFleur said. “He’s had a really good start to the offseason. We’ve just got to keep it going that way.” 

After the season, the Packers sent Stokes and Watson to a specialist in Madison in hopes of finding lasting solutions to their hamstring problems. The team hopes the new training staff will help, too. It won’t know, however, until they get on the field day after day, week after week.

Phase 1 of the offseason program began on April 15 with strength and conditioning. On-the-field workouts will begin this week. Phase 3, or organized team activities, will begin on May 20. That will be the first true milepost.

“Once you get into more competitive environment, less controlled, I think you want to see how people respond,” LaFleur said. “But I've been really happy with how these guys have been training in regards to the routines and just watching the effort that they've been putting on tape.”

Kingsley Enagbare’s ACL

In the playoff win at Dallas, outside linebacker Kingsley Enagbare suffered a knee injury. At the time, LaFleur called it a “devastating” blow to the team.

A week later, after the season-ending loss to the 49ers, Enagbare stood at his locker. No crutches. No knee brace.

Had he avoided a serious injury?

“I tore it,” he said matter-of-factly. “I’m solid, though. I’m ready to start my journey.”

Given the timeline of the injury, a midseason return to action seemed likely. Oddly, though, the Packers did not draft an edge defender to help bolster the depth. Asked about Enagbare, LaFleur dropped an interesting nugget.

“He’s still fighting his way back,” he said. “It was never confirmed it was an ACL. He did not have surgery. He’s still rehabbing through it, and we’re still optimistic about it.”

The ACL was not fully torn; the Packers and Enagbare are hoping he can rehab the knee and strengthen surrounding areas so he can avoid injury and be on the field.

“I don’t want to get into the details of it,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said. “We’re still working through it and we’re still hopeful that there will be no surgery. He’s looking good. He’s working hard right now. But walking out of that locker room that night, that was a tough break. I think over the course of time we got some positive news.

“We were able to keep it quiet, which was good, for at least a little while. Obviously, that was a little bit of a blessing but we’re still working through it. We’ll see where that goes.”

Jaire Alexander Update

Last offseason, Alexander skipped the voluntary part of the offseason. He’s been present for the start this year, though.

“I think Jaire’s been outstanding,” LaFleur said. “He looks great, he looks like he’s in great shape. He’s really been busting his butt. He’s been the leader we expect him to be, so it’s been a great start to the offseason for him.”

Packers at the 2024 NFL Draft

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