Matt LaFleur: Eric Stokes and Christian Watson look great to start offseason
Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur said cornerback Eric Stokes and receiver Christian Watson, who both had their 2023 season wrecked by soft tissue injuries, look “great” to start the offseason workout program.
LaFleur went as far as to say Stokes, specifically, has been a full participant to start the offseason.
“He’s been full go. He looks great,” LaFleur said Saturday.
The Packers are in the first stages of the offseason workout program, which feature strength and conditioning and limited on-field work. OTAs begin next month.
“I think yeah, once you get into more competitive environment, less controlled, I think you wanna see how people respond, but I’ve been really happy with how these guys have been training in regards to the routines and just watching the effort that they’ve been putting on tape,” LaFleur said.
Stokes, a 2021 first-round pick who was excellent as a rookie, played just 110 snaps over three games last season while dealing with multiple hamstring injuries. Watson, a dynamic touchdown-creator when on the field, missed eight games with hamstring injuries, including each of the last five regular season games.
The Packers need both to be healthy and available if they want to reach their potential as a Super Bowl contender in 2024. Watson is a vital vertical threat and playmaker in the passing game, while Stokes will have a legitimate chance to start opposite Jaire Alexander in Jeff Hafley’s new defense.
The Packers don’t have another player like Watson, who is 6-4 with elite speed. He had touchdowns in three straight games before going down with a hamstring injury in Week 13 last year.
“He looks great,” LaFleur said. “He’s had a really good start to the offseason. We just gotta keep it going that way.”
The first round of OTAs for the Packers begin on May 20.
