The Green Bay Packers have chosen not to exercise the 2025 team option in cornerback Eric Stokes’ contract, potentially making him a free agent in March. Selected 29th overall from the University of Georgia in the 2021 draft, Stokes now faces the possibility of negotiating a contract extension with the Packers before his current deal expires.
However, it’s likely that he will need to demonstrate his value on the field before General Manager Brian Gutekunst considers offering new terms. Had the Packers opted to pick up the fifth-year option, Stokes would have been entitled to a relatively modest guarantee of $12.47 million, reflecting his failure to meet the required playing time threshold. Despite his injury setbacks, Stokes made a strong impression in his rookie season, playing in all 16 games and tallying 55 tackles and an interception.
Unfortunately, injuries limited his availability over the past two seasons, with surgeries for right ankle and knee injuries in November 2022 sidelining him until October 2023. Despite a brief return in October, a hamstring injury curtailed his playing time until December, when he appeared in just three regular-season games.
The deadline for teams to exercise fifth-year options for first-round picks from the 2021 draft class was Thursday, marking a crucial decision point for Stokes and the Packers as they navigate his future with the team.
