The Green Bay Packers have some high hopes for their defense heading into the 2023 season. There are a lot of pieces on that side of the ball with high upside that could result in some excellent production in the coming months.
That unit should be motivated to perform after falling short of expectations last season. The Packers finished 17th in points and yardage surrendered, leaving a lot to be desired. For the defense to reach their full potential, they need to not improve against the run but have some better injury luck.
Multiple key contributors suffered season-ending injuries last season in Week 9 against the Detroit Lions. Pass rusher Rashan Gary tore his ACL while cornerback Eric Stokes had to undergo surgery on his foot and knee.
Green Bay is hopeful to have both of them back in the lineup once Week 1 rolls around, but there is still some progress to be made. Both are very important to the defense, but given the lack of confidence in the safety position, getting Stokes is important.
He has shown flashes of shutdown ability opposite star cornerback Jaire Alexander, providing the Packers the potential to have the boundaries shut off for years to come. One person who is confident in Stokes’ skill set is Diante Lee of The Athletic.
Lee wrote a piece about early fifth-round option projections for players selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. In their opinion, exercising that option would be a no-brainer as Stokes was one of 11 players listed as a franchise cornerstone in the piece.
Lee notes the “technical prowess” that Stokes has shown thus far in his career being better than advertised as he was coming out of Georgia. The No. 29 overall pick has the fourth-best defensive EPA against the pass amongst cornerbacks still on rookie deals.
His presence also allows the Packers to have Alexander shadow the opponent’s best wide receiver, something not every defense has the luxury of doing. Stokes could stand to improve his ball skills, but there is a lot to like about his long-term prospects.
With the NFL transitioning more and more to a passing league, having multiple cornerbacks capable of shutting things down through the air is imperative. The Packers look like they’ll have at least two to rely on for the foreseeable future.