Brian Gutekunst’s first-round draft picks have been a mixed bag, to say the least. While the Packers GM has struck gold on Day 2 and 3 selections, his opening-round choices continue to raise eyebrows among the Green Bay faithful. Many fans pointed to cornerback Eric Stokes – taken 29th overall in 2021 – as his biggest swing-and-miss. But that narrative might need some reconsideration.
After a promising rookie year, Stokes’ time in Green Bay fizzled out – though injuries played a major role in his decline. The cornerback missed 22 of 34 possible games during a brutal stretch, derailing what had started as a promising career. When the Packers closed that chapter this offseason, the Raiders quickly opened another. Now fully healthy, Stokes is making the most of his fresh start in Las Vegas.
Eric Stokes made Brian Gutekunst, Packers look like the problem in Raiders’ preseason debut
The box score doesn’t tell the whole story for Stokes’ Raiders debut. Sure, he only registered one solo tackle in Las Vegas’ 23-23 tie with Seattle, but his impact went beyond the stat sheet. The former Georgia Bulldog earned a starting role and showed flashes of the shutdown ability that once made him a first-round selection. Even with limited snaps (typical for starters in preseason openers), Stokes clearly impressed his new coaching staff.
Stokes isn’t giving up that starting spot anytime soon. According to the Raiders’ unofficial depth chart for their upcoming clash with the 49ers, he’s slated to start opposite veteran Darnay Holmes for the second straight game. Meanwhile, back in Green Bay, the cornerback situation has suddenly become precarious – especially after free agent pickup Nate Hobbs suffered a torn meniscus that will sideline him for several weeks.
The Raiders’ cornerback room isn’t exactly overflowing with talent. That makes their recent trade of promising young DB Jakorian Bennett to Philadelphia all the more telling. You don’t ship a young corner to the Eagles for a rotational defensive lineman (Thomas Booker IV) unless you’re confident in what you’ve got – and what they’ve got is Eric Stokes looking like his old self again.
He’s betting on himself, too.
When Stokes inked his one-year, $3.5 million deal with Vegas back in March, he included playing-time incentives that could bump it to $4 million. That’s a prove-it contract if there ever was one. After finally staying healthy for all 17 games with the Packers last season – the first time he’s done that in his career – Stokes logged 588 defensive snaps and made 41 tackles. His Pro Football Focus (PFF) coverage grade was slightly above average, suggesting there’s still plenty of that first-round talent waiting to be unlocked.