Packers CB Eric Stokes, Who Opened Season on PUP List, Returns to Practice

Green Bay Packers cornerback Eric Stokes has started practicing following last year’s foot injury. The Packers have 21 days to add him to the 53-man roster.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Green Bay Packers cornerback Eric Stokes, who opened the season on the physically unable to perform list, made his practice debut on Tuesday.

For Stokes, it was his first practice since sustaining foot and knee injuries at the Detroit Lions on Nov. 6. Tuesday was just three days shy of 11 months.

The 2021 first-round pick spent all of training camp on the Active PUP list, then migrated to Reserve PUP when general manager Brian Gutekunst picked his initial 53-man roster on Aug. 29. That decision meant Stokes would be sidelined for at least the first four weeks of the regular season. 

Tuesday was his first day of practice eligibility.

By opening the practice window, the team will have 21 days to add Stokes to the 53-man roster or place him on season-ending injured reserve.

The knee injury was relatively minor. The Lisfranc foot injury – one of the worst injuries in sports – is what kept Stokes out so long. The injury required a plate and two screws to repair. He didn’t start walking until mid-January.

Having missed all the offseason practices, training camp and the first four weeks of the regular season, Stokes needs to get back into football mode rather than rehab workouts. However, with almost 1,500 game reps in 2021 and 2022, the process of getting him ready to play in a game shouldn’t be too arduous.

“I think our athletic training staff has done a really nice job of trying to ramp him up,” coach Matt LaFleur said on Monday. “Granted, it is different than being out there playing 11 on 11, but we’ll see how he progresses. He’s a guy that, he has missed a lot of time, but he’s also played a lot of ball. We’re looking forward to getting him back out there.”

Eric Stokes :: Photo by Seeger Gray/USA Today Sports Images

Stokes had a miserable 2022 season even before the injury. In nine starts, according to Sports Info Solutions and its best guess at coverage responsibilities, he allowed an 80.0 percent catch rate, one touchdown and a 123.5 passer rating. It almost defies belief that Stokes didn’t break up a single pass.

However, Stokes had an All-Rookie-caliber debut season in 2021. With Jaire Alexander sidelined for most of the season, Stokes became Green Bay’s No. 1 corner. He intercepted one pass and finished with 14 passes defensed. Sports Info Solutions charged him with a 46.2 percent completion rate and 5.3 yards per target. Among starting corners, those figures ranked sixth and eighth, respectively.

From a public perspective, two things changed the view on the quality of his rookie season. First, he got torched at Minnesota by Justin Jefferson, though that really was his one bad game. Second, he dropped four interceptions.

Once he’s fully up to speed, just how the Packers will incorporate a healthy Stokes remains to be seen. There’s no reason to switch gears from Jaire Alexander and Rasul Douglas at corner and Keisean Nixon in the slot. However, injuries happen; Carrington Valentine and Corey Ballentine have each played 80 snaps through four games.

“Having a bunch of good players, that’s a good problem. That’s a champagne problem,” defensive coordinator Joe Barry said. “You can never – I’ve stood up here and said it many times – you can never have too many good corners. That’ll be exciting when we get to that.”

A study shows Stokes’ return timeline is right on the historic average.

“You have your frustrating days, but it is what it is,” Stokes said during camp. “That’s what I always tell myself. It is what it is. I know the type of injury I’ve got. I knew everything that comes along with it. It’s been a roller-coaster ride, I ain’t going to lie to you.”

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