There was a time when the Green Bay Packers had one of the worst salary cap situations in the entire NFL. For years, the front office would “kick the can down the road” as they converted salary to bonuses in order to afford all of the players that they wanted. Handing a three-year $150 million contract to Aaron Rodgers after the 2021 season did not help matters.
With the decision to trade Rodgers following the Packers’ disappointing 2022 season, the team also made tough decisions to part ways with many fan favorites in an effort to get out of the precarious salary cap situation they were in. Mason Crosby was not re-signed; Marcedes Lewis and Robert Tonyan were allowed to go team up on the Chicago Bears; Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb both followed Rodgers to the New York Jets.
Even this offseason has seen some cost-cutting moves that have seen popular players leave. David Bakhtiari was released to save approximately $20 million. Aaron Jones was let go after he declined to take (yet another) pay cut.
By all accounts, these decisions as well as the team’s youth movement have put the Packers in a favorable position in terms of the salary cap. Their entire wide receiver room, after all, is going to cost $11.2 million this year. However, there are still ways that they can create room and one NFL analyst suggests they should.
NFL Analyst Suggests the Green Bay Packers Should Trade Eric Stokes
In a recent article on Bleacher Report, the BR scouting department listed ways that every NFL team could create more salary cap space. One of the things that they suggested for the Packers is to trade former first round NFL Draft pick Eric Stokes:
“A tough decision must soon be made on cornerback and 2021 first-round pick Eric Stokes. While he has flashed some potential, he hasn’t been overly consistent and has missed extensive time over the past two seasons with injuries.
“Green Bay declined Stokes’ fifth-year option, but if he stays healthy and plays well, he could justify an extension before reaching 2025 free agency. If the Packers have lost confidence in him, though, trading him would save $2.3 million in cap space.
“The Packers don’t have a deep cornerback room and didn’t add to it until taking Kalen King in Round 7. However, free agents like Stephon Gilmore, Xavien Howard and Steven Nelson are still available.”
Green Bay currently has a little over $19 million in cap space, so trading Stokes would give them approximately $21.5 million to use on free agents that remain on the market or for them to roll over into next year’s cap.
The question, though, is whether or not Green Bay should give up their former first round pick.
The Green Bay Packers’ Cornerback Room Is Better Than Many Realize
It is no secret that two-time Pro Bowl and Second Team All-Pro Jaire Alexander did not have a good year last year. He battled injuries and had some locker room issues that culminated in his suspension for Green Bay’s Week 17 game against the Minnesota Vikings.
That being said, he has been in Green Bay for every phase of the voluntary team workouts and, according to coaches, is displaying the leadership and work ethic that they expect from him.
The notion, though, that the Packers do not have a deep cornerback room is not exactly correct. Last season, Alexander missed nearly half a season and Stokes was only healthy for three games. The combination of Carrington Valentine, Corey Ballentine, and Keisean Nixon helped Green Bay have a top-10 passing defense in the NFL.
Not a deep cornerback room? If a team’s backups still are able to limit opposing offenses to the tune of being ranked 10th in the NFL in passing yards given up, they should be considered a deep room, regardless of how scouts and analysts viewed them before.
The Green Bay Packers Should Not Trade Eric Stokes
As the BR staff mentioned, the Packers decided not to pick up Stokes’ fifth-year option. He is in a make or break it year in terms of his future with the team.
If Stokes has finally figured out his hamstring issues, the Packers would be foolish to trade him at this point. Many forget that, as a rookie, Stokes allowed a 49.5% completion percentage and opposing quarterbacks had a 71.3 passer rating when targeting him. He also broke up 14 passes.
While he got off to a slow start in his second year before breaking his foot, sophomore slumps are common. He should be given the chance to prove himself with the team that drafted him, especially for the low price of $2.3 million.
There are other ways for Green Bay to save salary cap space this year if that is something they still want to do. Trading Stokes should not be one of those options.
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