The Green Bay Packers finally have their entire team on the field. Jordan Love inked his massive four-year, $220 million extension on Friday. That deal was the last thing standing in the way between him suiting up and participating in practice.
Early on in training camp we’ve seen the defense have the upper hand. Something that is relatively common throughout the league. However, one report recently suggested that Green Bay could off-load one of their 28-year-old defenders in return for draft picks.
The Green Bay Packers Trade 25-Year-Old To The Denver Broncos In Trade Proposal
Alex Ballentine compiled a list of trades that he believes should happen prior to the start of the 2024 Season. One of those had Green Bay trading one of their starting cornerbacks to the Denver Broncos:
Broncos Receive: CB Eric Stokes, 2025 sixth-round pick
Packers Receive: 2025 fourth-round pick
Pat Surtain II was voted as the top cornerback in a poll conducted by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler that included league executives, coaches and scouts. He’s one of the few foundational pieces the Broncos have on defense.
There has been speculation that the Broncos could or should trade Surtain given how much value he could return in a trade. The better option would be to get aggressive in finding a capable cornerback to play alongside him.
The Broncos found out last season that it isn’t too hard to simply target the other cornerback on the field if he’s a weak link. Fabian Moreau and Damarri Mathis were targeted 99 times, giving up 990 yards and four touchdowns.
Denver signed Levi Wallace to address the issue, but the 29-year-old is becoming a journeyman and gave up six touchdowns with the Steelers last season.
Eric Stokes is in the final year of his rookie contract and has a first-round pedigree. Unfortunately, injuries have limited him to 12 games over the last two seasons, and the Packers might jump at the chance to improve their draft stock for next season.
Stokes has emerged as the most likely candidate to win the No. 2 cornerback job in 2024. A 2023 seventh-round pick, Carrington Valentine, is also in the mix after holding down the role down the stretch last season (and playing admirably for his age), but Green Bay will likely want to see if their 2021 first round draft pick pans out.
Stokes would provide the Packers with quality depth regardless of whether or not he regains the starting job from Valentine in 2024.
In 2023, the Buffalo Bills made a strong third-round offer for Rasul Douglas at the NFL trade deadline.It was fortunate that Valentine could hold his own at the time, because the Packers thought Stokes would soon return.
It will be interesting to see if Stokes goes anywhere, or starts balling out in Green Bay.
