Packers activate Eric Stokes' practice window
The Green Bay Packers were hopeful they'd be able to activate cornerback Eric Stokes off the PUP list this week and sure enough, that's exactly what happened on Tuesday. The Packers opened Stokes' 21-day practice window, which means he needs to be cleared for game action between now and closing time, or else he'll revert […]
The Green Bay Packers were hopeful they'd be able to activate cornerback Eric Stokes off the PUP list this week and sure enough, that's exactly what happened on Tuesday.
The Packers opened Stokes' 21-day practice window, which means he needs to be cleared for game action between now and closing time, or else he'll revert back to PUP for the rest of the season.
That probably won't happen, however, because it's a rare occurrence, to begin with. Also, if Matt LaFleur and co. were optimistic that Stokes would be able to return this week last Friday, then that bodes well enough to where the third-year corner should be good to go, eventually.
"I think our athletic training staff has done a really nice job of trying to ramp him up," LaFleur told reporters Monday. "Granted, it is different than being out there playing 11-on-11. But we'll see how he progresses. You know, he's a guy that has missed a lot of time, but he's also played a lot of ball and [we're] looking forward to get him back out there."
Once Stokes is cleared, he'll slot in at the CB4 position right behind Jaire Alexander and Rasul Douglas (Keisean Nixon is CB3 since he's the nickel). It will be a nice boost to the Packers' cornerback depth, especially since Alexander has been dealing with a back issue that has now kept him out of the last two games. Carrington Valentine, training camp's darling, will slot in behind Stokes, rounding out a solid group.
"I mean, having a bunch of good players – that's a good problem. That's a champagne problem," Packers defensive coordinator Joe Barry said Monday. "So you can never have -I've stood up here and said it many times- you can never have too many good corners. So that'll be exciting when we get to that."
