The Packers' big bet on Eric Stokes and his health

The Packers didn't make any major additions at cornerback this offseason. Instead, they bet on former first-round pick Eric Stokes to make a full recovery and return to the starting lineup.

Good morning!

The Green Bay Packers resume their organized-team activities today, the final step before next week's three-day, mandatory minicamp. These workouts will provide the team with their last look at the roster before the players head out of town for the summer.

Today's edition of The Leap focuses on a major lingering question about an oft-injured player that the Packers appear ready to lean upon in 2024 and other offseason business the front office could conduct during the break before training camp.

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Is the Packers' confidence that Eric Stokes will return to form in 2024 warranted?

Jason B. Hirschhorn: With some exceptions, the Packers' public statements and actions this offseason sure make it seem like they believe fourth-year cornerback Eric Stokes has moved past the health hurdles that derailed him the past few seasons and will again contribute at a high level. While they did decline the 2021 first-round pick's fifth-year option, they also passed on corners until the final round of the draft. Stokes has also spent OTAs working with the starters, a sign that the coaches want him back with the No. 1 defense.

"He's as good as I've ever seen him both mentally and on the field," head coach Matt LaFleur said of Stokes this past week. "I want to temper the expectations with that, but I do really mean that. He's out there competing each and every day. He looks fully healthy. He's doing a great job of challenging our wide receivers. He's always in great phase. I think you see that personality is back."

Still, offseason work and rehab can only mean so much on their own, especially for a player who has missed the better part of two years with multiple injuries. Stokes managed just 114 snaps since knee and foot problems ended his 2022 season after just nine games, and those numbers tell only part of the story. He began the following year on the physically unable to perform list before making his 2023 debut in Week 7, a return that lasted just four snaps before hamstring trouble landed him on injured reserve. He came off IR for two games late in the campaign before his hamstring sidelined him for good.

So, between the limited sample size of Stokes' 2023 action and his work in the offseason program, what gives the Packers so much confidence that he can return to form during the upcoming season?

Though Stokes didn't play much last season, he showed more explosion than one might assume given his injuries. Next Gen Stats clocked Stokes with a top speed of 21.70 miles per hour, the top mark recorded by anyone on the Packers in 2023. That figure only trails last season's top speed for Tyreek Hill, widely considered the fastest player in the NFL, by 0.31 MPH. Stokes obviously needs to stay healthy for his speed to matter, but the radar gun suggests he hasn't lost a step amid his injury woes.

And on the health front, Stokes believes he finally has a handle on what caused his hamstring issues last year.

"My foot wasn't as strong as it needed to be so that's why it put more pressure on my hamstring, my calf, and all that stuff," Stokes said last week about the medical advice he received this offseason from hamstring specialists. "They just showed me a lot of different little things, and I went back home where I train in Atlanta and adapted. Basically, we just trained hard, and like every day we do our calf raises, we're doing hamstring stuff, we're just attacking my legs, and all that stuff day in and day out.

"Now, I come back and feel even better. I feel like I'm faster than I was before."

All of which explains why Green Bay feels like Stokes can return to the starting lineup opposite All-Pro corner Jaire Alexander. That doesn't mean the young corner doesn't carry risk -- few players miss as much time as Stokes has and perform like nothing happened -- but the team has more than just blind faith in Stokes' skills and health.

The Packers also have viable backup plans. Carrington Valentine performed admirably for a seventh-round rookie forced into the starting lineup and could push for a starting job independent of Stokes' situation. Corey Ballentine also has some starting experience and a recent track record of decent play, more than the typical deep reserve corner can offer. And rookie Kalen King, the club's lone draft pick at the position, looked like an early round pick as recently as 12 months ago and could factor into the equation.

So, while leaning on Stokes represents somewhat of a gamble for the Packers, their confidence isn't without warrant.

June 1 has come and gone. What does that mean for the veteran market and how could the Packers take advantage?

JBH: For the uninitiated, June 1 holds significance in NFL circles due to the collective-bargaining agreement. That date represents the final day before which teams can cut players and spread the dead-money hit over two years rather than absorbing it all at once. Though clubs can release up to two players months earlier and still designate them as post-June 1 releases -- the Packers did this in March with linebacker De'Vondre Campbell -- notable veterans will still typically hit the market around this time.

This period also has meaning for veterans already on the market. While signing outside unrestricted free agents will impact a team's future compensatory picks, that changes after June 1. Once that date arrives, the additions relevant to the comp-pick formula will have already occurred. Accordingly, clubs will start adding veterans they like but didn't feel compelled to sacrifice future draft capital to acquire.

So, where does all of that leave Green Bay?

The Packers managed to address most of their apparent holes during the offseason. Jordan Morgan, Edgerrin Cooper, and Javon Bullard -- their first three selection -- will have chances to start immediately at either a position of need or allow the coaches to move an incumbent to fill a void. Xavier McKinney, the team's high-priced addition at safety, also takes an area of concern off the board.

Still, the Packers could bolster their roster along the margins. Though they believe the cornerback room has enough manpower as detailed above, that doesn't preclude them from adding a veteran to the group. Stephon Gilmore will garner the most attention given his résumé, and he probably could help Green Bay, but his price tag might still look too daunting for general manager Brian Gutekunst to consider. If so, Steven Nelson remains available and has experience in the scheme that new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley plans to run. James Bradberry could also make sense if the New York Giants cut him after June 1.

If Gutekunst wants to get creative, he could consider Jamal Adams … as a linebacker. While Adams has lined up at safety for the vast majority of his snaps, the veteran has struggled since leaving the New York Jets when asked to play outside the box. Bringing him closer to the line of scrimmage could unlock the strengths he still has, and Adams probably cannot command much money given how his Seattle Seahawks tenure unfolded. Technically, the Packers didn't need to wait for this part of the calendar to sign Adams and avoid a comp-pick penalty -- the Seahawks released him earlier this year -- but the post-draft timing could still make sense for both sides.