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The Green Bay Packers open training camp next week, though two prominent members of the team will remain on the sidelines for the foreseeable future.
Green Bay designated cornerback Eric Stokes and outside linebacker Rashan Gary to the physically unable to perform (PUP) list on Friday, July 21. Bill Huber of FanNation’s Packer Central broke the news about Stokes shortly ahead of an official team announcement on both Stokes and Gary.
Huber added that Stokes’ status isn’t cause for alarm, as the franchise is simply being careful with its 2021 first-round draft pick as he recovers from a complicated injury that cut his sophomore campaign short last year.
“Stokes’ recovery is right on track, and the Packers are taking a cautious approach with a talented player,” Huber wrote. “If all goes well, he could make his training camp debut in a couple weeks.”
Huber did not include any details on Gary’s expected return timeline.
Eric Stokes, Rashan Gary Suffered Season-Ending Injuries in Same Game in 2022
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GettyPackers cornerback Eric Stokes suffered a season-ending injury in Week 9 of the 2022 season.
Stokes and Gary were injured in the same game in 2022, a mid-season contest against the NFC North Division rival Detroit Lions.
The full details on Stokes’ injuries didn’t become clear until late May, when it was revealed that the cornerback underwent surgery to repair dual issues with his knee and ankle. The Lisfranc injury Stokes suffered required doctors to place a plate and two screws into his foot.
Gary was on track for a monster campaign in 2022, as he entered Week 9 firmly inside the NFL’s top-10 in QB hits, pressures and sacks. The elite edge rusher suffered a torn ACL against Detroit, which not only derailed his season but has put on hold, at least temporarily, what is expected to be a major contract extension potentially stretching into the nine-figure range in total upward value.
Eric Stokes Regressed in Year 2 Before Suffering Major Injuries
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GettyGreen Bay Packers outside linebacker Rashan Gary will start 2023 training camp on the sidelines as he continues to rehab from a torn ACL.
Gary is projected to be ready to go by the time the regular season begins in September and should get his bag from Green Bay as soon as he proves healthy.
Stokes’ situation is slightly more precarious, as he is entering the third year of his tenure with the Packers and has two fewer seasons of service with the team than does Gary. The cornerback was stellar in his rookie campaign out of Georgia, leading the position group with 14 passes defensed. He also notched an interception and 55 total tackles across 16 games played, which included 14 starts, per Pro Football Reference.
However, Stokes took a huge step back in 2022 before his injury. He failed to break up even one pass and did not make any interceptions across nine contests. Huber noted that the CB’s yards per target jumped from 5.8 to 10.3 during his second year and that Stokes allowed an 84% catch rate, which was dead last in the NFL among players at the position who saw at least 250 snaps.
As of Friday, cornerback Rasul Douglas was listed as the Packers’ second starting cornerback alongside Jaire Alexander, per ESPN. However, Stokes should have an opportunity to win that honor back when he returns to the field, which could be as soon as mid-August.
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