The Green Bay Packers have to find answers at the cornerback position in 2026, but where those answers will come from remains to be seen. They don't have a first-round pick in this year's NFL Draft, limiting their options for an immediate contributor out of college. That said, they could still end up with a depth piece and potential year two starter by drafting a corner 52nd overall.
Free agency is another avenue, though the Packers' plans will become much clearer once they do or don't release Nate Hobbs before his roster bonus is guaranteed for next season. With Hobbs gone, securing an established free agent replacement would make more sense than gambling on a Day 2 draft prospect.
In that vein, an Eric Stokes reunion is a possibility that shouldn't be dismissed for the frustrating player Green and Gold fans remember. After the Packers let him walk in free agency, he turned in an excellent season for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2025.
Eric Stokes offers high-floor upside for a win-now Packers roster
Drafting a new face might be more exciting, but Stokes offers something few second-round rookies could be expected to. He can step onto the field ready to make an immediate impact, needing no introduction to high-stakes division rivalry games against the Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, and Minnesota Vikings.
Stokes wasn't just serviceable in Las Vegas last season. He was one of the few bright spots on a dismal defensive unit, and a top-graded cornerback in the NFL. Pro Football Focus ranked him 18th at the position, higher than any Packer, and his 77.2 passer rating allowed put him in the 80th percentile. That's not the guy Green Bay fans remember getting burned on a regular basis.
He could regress next season, sure, but the former first-rounder promises a higher floor than anyone the Packers would land in the draft. A name like Indiana's D'Angelo Ponds is tempting, but even PFF's eighth-ranked college corner would likely need time to find his NFL footing. That's not the case with Stokes.
He will also be available for cheap compared to top-tier free agents, with a projected three-year, $22 million contract. It's possible that Green Bay or another contender could have him for less than that if Stokes craves a more competitive atmosphere. That's something the 3-14 Raiders couldn't offer.
On a very bad team, with almost no defensive help around him, he was tough, reliable, and effective. Combined with more length than Keisean Nixon and a bit more bulk than Carrington Valentine, those are traits the Packers' secondary could use.
They could also use his familiarity with the playbooks and personnel of NFC North foes. In games almost guaranteed to swing the division, having Stokes matched up against the Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown or Minnesota's Justin Jefferson is a better feeling than relying on a rookie. He's not a No. 1 corner, but he's a starter.
Or maybe not, if the Packers discover superior options or run it back with Nixon and Valentine as the top two options. That's another thing Stokes offers as a veteran on a frugal contract: flexibility. Other mid-tier additions via trade or free agency could still be on the table, and Green Bay would still have money to spend on other positions.