The Green Bay Packers finished short of their goal of winning the NFC North last season, allowing teams like the Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers to defeat them in the season’s biggest games. The Packers have now found themselves in retooling-on-the-fly mode, in hopes of improving their team, including their cornerbacks room.

Recently, it was announced that the Packers have jettisoned a cornerback with a bevy of experience after he played well as a rookie and battled injuries for the past two seasons.

The news came amid Davante Adams’ praise for Packers QB Jordan Love. Grades were handed out for the Packers 11 recent NFL Draft picks.

On Thursday, reporter Mike Garafolo shared the latest news on Eric Stokes, the latest Packers player to be released.

Packers Release Former Draft Pick 

The Packers have decided to decline Stokes’ fifth-year option according to Garafolo’s sources. Stokes was the 29th pick in 2021 and played well as a rookie according to Garafolo. He’s expected to be a free agent next year and could be in line for a big payday.

The #Packers are declining the fifth-year option for CB Eric Stokes, source says. The 29th pick in 2021, Stokes played well as a rookie but has battled injuries the past two years. He’s slated for free agency next spring and can make a case for a big payday if he stays healthy. pic.twitter.com/oAjQlCeGfn

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) May 2, 2024

Stokes’ Impact on Packers 

Stokes had 55 tackles for Coach Matt LaFleur’s team in his rookie season, after entering the NFL from Athens, Georgia, home of Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs. He also had one interception.

As the Packers’ team improved, LaFleur and Green Bay began to play him less. Stokes played in 16, 9 and 3 games respectively among his three NFL seasons,

The Packers are releasing Stokes during a time in which they are expected to face new challenges in the NFC North. The Lions have moved on from last year’s number two wideout Josh Reynolds and are now rolling with Jameson Williams at the WR2 position alongside Amon-Ra St. Brown.

The Bears added Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze to a talented passing game that could quickly become the greatest in franchise history. Meanwhile, the Vikings still have Justin Jefferson, arguably the number one wide receiver in the entire National Football League, and have added JJ McCarthy and Sam Darnold at the quarterback position along with pass catching running back Aaron Jones, formerly of Green Bay.