The Green Bay Packers fear cornerback Eric Stokes will be lost for the season due to the knee and ankle injuries he suffered last week against the Detroit Lions.
Coach Matt LaFleur wasn’t able to say with certainty, but he said the diagnosis of the injury is trending toward season-ending.
“It’s looking unlikely, I don’t have an exact update for that,” LaFleur said Friday.
Stokes was injured on a play in the first half and needed to be carted from the sideline to the locker room.
The second-year cornerback has played in 25 of a possible 26 games since entering the NFL as a first-round pick of the Packers in 2021. In nine games this season, Stokes produced 26 tackles but did not have a pass breakup or interception.
Per Pro Football Focus, Stokes allowed 21 catches on 25 targets for 275 yards and a touchdown this season. He produced just one “forced incompletion” while also missing five tackles and committing two penalties.
With Stokes out, the Packers will likely go with Jaire Alexander and Rasul Douglas as the primary perimeter cornerbacks with Keisean Nixon and even safety Darnell Savage as options in the slot.
The Packers have yet to put Stokes on injured reserve, but that move will be coming.
Stokes would be the second of two players to suffer a season-ending injury in Detroit. Star edge rusher Rashan Gary tore his ACL and will miss the rest of the 2022 season.
