Getty Eric Stokes #21 of the Green Bay Packers walks off the field after the preseason game against the Houston Texans at Lambeau Field on August 14, 2021 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
The Green Bay Packers could be spending their entire day against the Kansas City Chiefs without rookie cornerback Eric Stokes in the lineup.
The Packers announced early in the first quarter of Sunday’s game that Stokes was questionable to play against the Chiefs with a knee injury that he sustained during the team’s pregame warmups, according to Packers digital reporter Wes Hodkiewicz. Without him, the Packers went with Kevin King and Rasul Douglas as their starting outside cornerbacks with Chandon Sullivan in the slot.
Eric Stokes injured his knee in warmups. He’s questionable #Packers
Stokes — the No. 29 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft — had started in the past six games for the Packers after stepping up into a bigger role earlier in the season when injuries ravaged their cornerback room. The Packers are also still playing without All-Pro Jaire Alexander, who has been on injured reserve with a shoulder injury since October 9.
Fortunately, King was cleared from the injury report heading into Week 9’s road game against the Chiefs after missing three consecutive games with a combination of shoulder and back issues. A concussion also cost him a pair of games earlier in the year, but a healthy King is a better option for the Packers than digging deeper into their depth chart, where they have only Isaac Yiadom and rookie Shemar Jean-Charles.
The Packers are also playing the Chiefs without starting defensive lineman Kingsley Keke, who did not practice all week after sustaining a concussion in Week 8.
Update (6:17 p.m. ET): The Packers have officially ruled out Stokes for the game.
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Clark & Runyan Jr. Also Questionable to Return
The Packers were trailing 13-0 and down another two players by the time they made it back to the locker room at halftime against the Chiefs.
Packers star nose tackle Kenny Clark — the driving force of their defensive line — came limping off the field with the help of trainers during the second quarter and disappeared into the locker room to be evaluated for a back injury. The team also sent starting left guard Jon Runyan Jr. into the locker room due to an illness in the same quarter. Both Clark and Runyan Jr. were initially deemed questionable to return, but Clark was later ruled out for the rest of the night.
Injury update: Kenny Clark (back) has been ruled out. #GBvsKC
The Packers finished the half with 2020 sixth-rounder Jake Hanson at left guard, but it is possible they will tinker with the lineup and move him to center in the third quarter. While Lucas Patrick has been solid as a replacement for second-year rookie Josh Myers — who is currently on injured reserve with a knee injury — it might make sense for them to play to Hanson’s natural skill set at center and let Patrick cover the loss at guard.
It is worth noting that Hanson got a good amount of practice at center with quarterback Jordan Love during 2021 training camp.
DL Injuries Continue to Pile Up for Packers
Losing another starter to injury is the last thing the Packers’ defensive line needs right now. Aside from Keke’s concussion, they also have veteran Dean Lowry battling through a hamstring injury after he was originally designated as questionable against the Chiefs. That leaves them with Tyler Lancaster and two rookies — T.J. Slaton and Jack Heflin — to man their defensive frontlines against a high-powered Kansas City offense.
Clark’s long-term status will be vital to the integrity of the Packers’ defensive line in the coming weeks. If he is forced to miss time beyond Week 9, there are not many outside options that cap-strapped Green Bay can explore at this point, especially now that the NFL trade deadline has come and gone. In other words, it could be time for the Packers to figure out, for better or worse, what they have in the fifth-round rookie Slaton.