The Raiders were not even contenders last season. They hardly put four wins in the column, so what do you do when your team is stuck in neutral? The answer is: you fix the loopholes. The Raiders started by bringing in new HC Pete Carroll. And having Tom Brady dishing out advice for them. And of course when you have someone on board who has seven Super Bowl rings, why not give him a little more command over team affairs? So now, Pete Carroll, Tom Brady, and GM John Spytek have brought fresh energy to Vegas. After solving their QB puzzle, the team is now building around Geno Smith. On Monday, the team signed Panthers CB Lonnie Johnson Jr., replacing Nate Hobbs. But if you think their CB depth is complete with Lonnie, you are wrong.
So, after the Packers sent the flight tickets to Nate Hobbs, the Raiders have invited their 2021 first-round pick to Vegas. Pete Carroll is building strong CB depth, and the new addition is Georgia alum Eric Stokes. On Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that Packers CB Eric Stokes is joining the Raiders squad for a year. “The Raiders are adding more on defense, as they are set to sign former Packers first-round CB Eric Stokes on a 1-year, $4M deal, source said.“
CB Eric Stokes, a Packers first-round pick, joining Raiders on one-year, $4M deal, per @RapSheet https://t.co/1x8grCyv8q pic.twitter.com/atm8nZH7PO
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) March 11, 2025
Green Bay declined their 2021 first-round draft pick an extension last year, probably because he struggled with injuries. Eric missed most of the 2023 season as he was dealing with a hamstring injury. So, when his $11.9M contract with the team expired, he hit the free market. Stokes is the second CB the Raiders have picked from free agency after Lonnie Johnson Jr. Although the rumors were about Vikings Pro Bowl CB Byron Murphy, but Vikings re-signed a three year extension with their CB worth $66M deal.
On the other hand, the NFL just handed the Raiders two extra sixth-round picks (Nos. 213 and 215) in the 2025 draft as part of the compensatory picks. Sure, sixth-rounders aren’t exactly lottery tickets. But they’re tradeable assets, and who doesn’t love a little draft-day wheeling and dealing?
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