NFL free agency is always an exciting time for Georgia football fans because of how many Bulldogs sign new deals every year. It can be difficult to keep up with at times, but that’s just a sign of how great Kirby Smart and Georgia have been at producing NFL talent.
The latest Bulldog to sign a new deal is corner Eric Stokes, who just signed a one year, $4 million deal with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Stokes was a standout defensive back for Georgia from 2018-2020, but it was his third and final season where he really showed how great of a player he is. He only recorded 20 tackles during the season, but he tallied an impressive four interceptions which really grabbed the attention of NFL scouts.
Stokes entered the 2021 NFL Draft, where he was selected in the first round by the Green Bay Packers. Stokes has spent his entire NFL career with the Packers so far, where he recorded 128 total tackles and an interception in his four seasons with the team.
The new contract signed by Stokes with the Raiders is the definition of a prove it deal as $4 million in the NFL today isn’t all that much. So he will have one season to show how great of a player he is before potentially signing a more lucrative deal next offseason.
Las Vegas is beginning to stack former Bulldogs
One trend that’s been fun to watch after Philadelphia won the Super Bowl this year is other NFL teams copying the Eagles’ strategy of adding as many Bulldogs to their organization as possible. Las Vegas already has star tight end Brock Bowers on their team, so the addition of Stokes adds yet another former Bulldog to the roster.
The Raiders did not have the best season this past year, coming up way short of missing the playoffs. But they have made some big moves by hiring Pete Carroll as their new head coach and adding veteran quarterback Geno Smith as well.
So this Raiders team has a chance to be really fun next season while competing for a playoff spot as well, which Georgia fans would clearly love to see happen.
