GREEN BAY, Wis. – Completing a swap of cornerbacks in NFL free agency, the Las Vegas Raiders on Tuesday agreed to terms with cornerback Eric Stokes on a one-year contract. The move comes one day after the Green Bay Packers and cornerback Nate Hobbs agreed to a four-year contract.
Stokes is the second member of the defense to leave Green Bay, with defensive tackle TJ Slaton agreeing to a two-year contract with the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday.
It was the expected end to Stokes’ career in Green Bay, a four-year run that went from potential star to buried on the bench.
A first-round pick in 2021, Stokes had an All-Rookie-caliber season. With Jaire Alexander injured, Stokes played in 16 games with 14 starts. He intercepted one pass and led the Packers with 14 passes defensed.
Among rookie defenders, Stokes and Patrick Surtain – the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2024 – led the league with 14 passes defensed. Among all rookie defensive backs targeted at least 20 times in the passing game, Stokes was No. 1 in completion percentage allowed (49.5) and yards per target (5.3) and No. 2 in passer rating allowed (71.3; Surtain, 61.3), according to Stathead.
It all went wrong in 2022, though. In nine games, Stokes allowed 20 completions in 25 targets, the 80 percent completion rate being second-worst among cornerbacks. He had no interceptions or pass breakups before he suffered a foot injury at Detroit.
The injury – a Lisfranc fracture – didn’t just end his season. Like it has for others, it derailed his career.
Because of the foot and recurring hamstring injuries, Stokes played in just three games in 2023. He served as many stints on injured lists (three) as he started games on defense (two). He played on defense in two games and allowed 6-of-8 passing with three touchdowns.
Work with a specialist in Madison got Stokes through the hamstring problems. In 2024, he played in all 17 games with seven starts. He started the first five games and generally played solid coverage.
In fact, following the team’s Week 10 bye and through the Week 17 loss to the Vikings, Stokes among NFL corners ranked first in receptions allowed, first in yards allowed, first in yards allowed per coverage snap, second in coverage snaps per completion and third in completion percentage, according to Pro Football Focus.
“I think he’s gotten better,” defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley said before the Week 18 home game against the Bears. “He’s competing in the run game, he’s been physical. I thought he challenged those good wide receivers in that last game. I think the more reps he gets, he’s getting more comfortable and he’s getting back into it.”
However, the Packers went into January with Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine as their perimeter cornerbacks with Javon Bullard in the slot. Against the Bears, Stokes played five snaps on defense. In the wild-card loss to the Eagles, he played just one snap.
Why?
Playmaking.
The cornerback who broke up 14 passes as a rookie broke up zero in 2022, zero in 2023 and zero in 2024.
“For sure. For sure,” Stokes said, well aware that making a play was the next step. “I know once that big play comes, everything else will start rolling. Everything else will start rolling. And it’s going to be a trickle effect. We’re all finally going to hit in the playoffs and everything else will get rolling.”
It didn’t happen, though. In 29 regular-season games in 2022, 2023 and 2024, Stokes didn’t deflect a single pass. Among cornerbacks with at least 18 starts during those three seasons, the next-fewest breakups was Mike Hughes with eight.
On Monday, the Packers signed Hobbs, who had two interceptions and 12 passes defensed the last two seasons with the Raiders. He is expected to be an instant starter for a defense that is expected to move on from Alexander, as well.
Meanwhile, the Packers lost Slaton to the Bengals, leaving a big hole on their defensive line. Literally and figuratively. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 330 pounds, Slaton was a key piece to one of the best run defenses in the NFL. He started 17 games each of the past two seasons.
The run defense was 0.50 yards better when he was on the field during the regular season and 0.75 better in the playoff loss.
The Packers haven’t replaced him in free agency. The other four players from last year, former first-round picks Kenny Clark and Devonte Wyatt and 2023 draft picks Colby Wooden and Karl Brooks, will return. Several solid veterans remain in free agency, and a strong draft class awaits next month.
The group of receivers remaining in free agency is, well, experienced. https://t.co/TbyquRxw02
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) March 11, 2025