A Steelers-Packers trade to give former first-round pick a new home

Among several other areas, fixing the cornerback room was clearly a priority for the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason. The secondary, both due to injuries and underperformance, was a headache in the Steel City for much of the 2023 season. But general manager Omar Khan has tried to ensure that won't be the same sentiment throughout the 2024 campaign.

Gone (for now, at least) are the likes of Patrick Peterson and Levi Wallace. Meanwhile, 2023 second-round rookie Joey Porter Jr. returns to be a cornerstone at the position with newcomer Donte Jackson joining the fray as the return in the Diontae Johnson trade. The club also likes what Darius Rush could bring to the table.

However, the depth at the position remains a concern. If any of those three players were to go down, the Steelers would be left relying on the likes of Cory Trice Jr. or sixth-round rookie Ryan Watts, which would be far removed from ideal. But perhaps a trade with the Green Bay Packers could be in order to make things work.

The Packers elected not to pick up the fifth-year option of 2021 first-round pick Eric Stokes this offseason. When Stokes was selected 29th overall out of Georgia, he came with a ton of hype as a potential long-term pairing with Jaire Alexander and looked the part as a rookie. In the two seasons since, unfortunately, Stokes has struggled mightily to stay healthy, playing only a combined 587 snaps over two seasons.

While Green Bay's cornerback depth isn't in an ideal situation, they do have an emerging late-round playmaker in Carrington Valentine and seem hopeful for 2024 seventh-rounder Kalen King recapturing form from earlier in his college career alongside Alexander, Keisean Nixon and Corey Ballentine. Thus, they could be intrigued by recouping some draft capital in a trade for Stokes instead of incurring the risk of losing him for nothing netxt offseason as a free agent.

A Steelers-Packers trade that sends CB Eric Stokes to Pittsburgh

So, what would the Steelers trading for Eric Stokes ultimately look like? Here's a proposed package that should check the right boxes for the Packers and Steelers alike to get a deal done.

On an expiring contract, the Packers could never expect a king's ransom in return for Stokes. At the same time, though, Green Bay doesn't have to trade Stokes, so sending a conditional seventh-round pick or something like that wouldn't necessarily get a deal done.

In the end, a fifth-round pick in next year's draft in exchange for Stokes and a future sixth-rounder seems to be the right middle ground. The Packers get a higher-end Day 3 pick while sending off a future selection while the Steelers are able to give a former first-rounder an opportunity to be healthy and rejuvenate his career in Pittsburgh where he could be needed.

The one drawback to this would have to come from the Packers. While the Steelers would be thrilled to have Stokes essentially competing with Jackson and Rush for starter's snaps in hopes he can stay on the field, the Packers would be hoping that it works without Stokes given their own depth concerns. At the same time, though, Green Bay has financial flexibility to possibly sign a veteran like Xavien Howard or Stephon Gilmore in free agency before Week 1 and, more importantly, they already had to weather almost an entire season in 2023 without Stokes. This wouldn't be uncharted waters.

If we're gauging the likelihood of this trade, it's probably sub-30% at this point just given the Packers' depth concerns at the position. But it's a trade that, if worked out properly, could benefit both sides a great deal for the 2024 season and possibly moving forward as well.