The Green Bay Packers let Eric Stokes walk in free agency after an unflattering 2024 season. He then signed a one-year deal with Las Vegas for $2.99 million guaranteed and proceeded to be one of the most effective cornerbacks in the league. Stokes’ Pro Football Focus score of 73.6 ranked 18th out of 114 players at the position.
That’s better than any Packers option. Keisean Nixon led the way with a 66.4 grade, good for 41st. When healthy, Green Bay’s $48 million free agent, Nate Hobbs, graded out at 61.7, 60th.
Now, Stokes is primed for a sizable pay raise as one of the more intriguing names in the middle tier of free agent corners. ESPN named him the ideal signing to help clean up a mediocre New York Giants secondary.
Eric Stokes could be the cog the Giants are looking for
Writes analyst Aaron Schatz, “Cornerbacks are a tough choice in free agency because they are so inconsistent from season to season. Stokes was one of the worst cornerbacks in the league in 2024, but he transformed into one of the league’s best in 2025 with 53 total tackles and five passes defensed.”
Stokes is an even trickier case, statistically speaking, because his raw numbers don’t jump off the page. To go with modest, if above average tallies in pass breakups and tackles, he had zero interceptions. He did, though, record three tackles for loss, and hold quarterbacks to a 77.3 passer rating when targeted – 23rd-lowest in the league, which in that category suggests a lower-level CB1.
Sep 26, 2021; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) fails to catch a pass while being defended by Green Bay Packers cornerback Eric Stokes (21) during the second quarter at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
That’s not what Stokes is, of course, but what did he do for the woeful Raiders last season? He did the job. He allowed just a 56.7 completion percentage and one touchdown all season. And that’s with basically no help from the rest of the defense. Aside from Maxx Crosby at defensive end, the Raiders simply had no one to even hang their hat on, a jersey fans could point to and be remotely excited about.
Stokes still might not be a household name for most NFL followers, as his prowess in 2025 flew under the radar by virtue of his playing in Las Vegas. For the Giants, however, he could provide badly needed stability on the backend.
“It’s safe to say that we don’t know what version of Stokes we’ll see in 2026,” Schatz concedes. “But this is a clear position of need for the Giants, who ranked 17th in yards allowed per completion last season (10.9). They can take a chance that Stokes is closer to his 2025 play.”
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