Saturday’s Packers Transactions: What They Mean for Sunday vs. Buccaneers

Eric Stokes is back. Again. The 2021 first-round pick has been activated from injured reserve in time for Sunday’s game against the Buccaneers. The Packers made two other moves on Saturday, as well.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – As first reported by Packer Central, the Green Bay Packers  activated cornerback Eric Stokes from injured reserve on Saturday, making him eligible to play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

That’s the big transaction of the day. Here’s everything you need to know about the usual day-before-the-game roster moves.

Activated: CB Eric Stokes

Stokes, the team’s first-round pick in 2021, had his second season cut short with a foot injury that required season-ending surgery. A Lisfranc injury is one of the worst in sports. Between the severity of the injury and some hamstring issues during his ramp-up, he never practiced during training camp and opened the season on the physically unable to perform list.

Stokes made his season debut at Denver. It lasted just four snaps, with Stokes injuring a hamstring on special teams.

He was designated to return from injured reserve on Nov. 27. The deadline to either add him to the 53-man roster or shut him down for the rest of the season would have been Monday.

The release of Kyu Blu Kelly earlier in the week created a roster space and foreshadowed this move.

“That sh**’s going to feel good. I ain’t even going to cap [lie] to you. I ain’t even going to cap [lie] to you,” Stokes said with an enormous smile. “It’s going to feel good whenever I’m back out there. I miss it. There’s a lot of little things that you miss but I pretty much live for this. I really miss this sh**.”

Stokes has missed the last seven games.

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“This comeback, it’s been hell. It’s been hell,” Stokes said. “It’s been highs and lows to everything. That’s just life, though. You’ve got to wake up every morning and be blessed. Everything else [during the comeback from the hamstring] has been good, though.”

Stokes has practiced the last three weeks, including full participation for every practice the last couple weeks.

Are a series of practices enough to get him ready should he be asked to match up with the Buccaneers’ star receiver, Mike Evans?

Why not?

“That’s what you live for,” he said. “This is what I’ve been training for. It is what it is. No matter the circumstance, I’ve got to be ready on Sunday if I’m up. If I’m not, it is what it is."

Coach Matt LaFleur said he’d like to get Stokes some snaps on defense before the season is over. The Packers have to decide on Stokes’ fifth-year option this offseason. With an excellent rookie season, a disappointing second season and an injury-plagued third season, the team might decide to not flip the switch on the pricey option.

However, it must determine how big of a need cornerback is in the upcoming draft. Getting Stokes some meaningful snaps would be helpful in making that decision, and it would serve as a launching point for Stokes for 2024..

Stokes isn’t worried about any of that. He just wants to play – for himself and the team.

“Man, it would be great,” he said. “It’d be great to end up on a positive note these last four games – however many games I’ve got. It would be great just to be up for next year, be up for everything or be up for the playoffs. It’d be fun.”

Elevated: RB Kenyan Drake

For the second consecutive week, the Packers have elevated veteran running back Kenyan Drake from the practice squad.

This was a predictable decision. Running back Aaron Jones, who missed the last three games with a knee injury, practiced all week and is questionable. His tag-team partner, AJ Dillon, suffered a broken thumb on Monday and is questionable, as well.

Not all questionable are equal; Jones probably will play while Dillon is a lot more questionable. Between pain and ball security, which is the bigger issue?

“All the above. It’s broken,” he said with a laugh after practicing on Friday.

So, with Patrick Taylor being the only sure thing, Drake will be suited up on Sunday.

“KD’s looked really good in practice,” offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said. “So, he came in on a week’s notice and we had him dress last week, but I feel very comfortable this week if he’s got to go in there and play a significant role for us. I’m excited to see him out there and see what he can do.”

Elevated: WR Bo Melton

Here’s another predictable move. Their big-play receiver, Christian Watson, is doubtful with a hamstring injury. Impressive rookie Dontayvion Wicks is questionable with an ankle injury. When reporters were present on Thursday, Wicks watched his fellow receivers go through drills, so there’s a decent chance he will be inactive on Sunday.

Melton was a seventh-round pick by Seattle in 2022. With 4.34 speed in the 40, he’s one of the fastest players in the NFL and will provide the downfield threat the Packers lacked last week without Watson.

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