Saturday’s Packers Transactions: What They Mean for Sunday at Vikings

GREEN BAY Wis. – The Green Bay Packers on Saturday placed cornerback Eric Stokes on injured reserve, signed safety Benny Sapp to the active roster and elevated receiver Bo Melton from the practice squad for Sunday’s game at the Minnesota Vikings.

As always, the transactions that weren’t made are just as interesting as the moves that were made. Here’s the weekly breakdown.

Injured Reserve: CB Eric Stokes

A first-round pick in 2021, cornerback Eric Stokes looked like a potential star as a rookie. But he struggled through his second season, which was truncated by a season-ending foot injury, and has suffered through a miserable third season.

This is his third time on an injury list this year, having opened the season on PUP before going on injured reserve with a hamstring injury following a three-snap debut at Denver and going back on IR on Saturday with another hamstring injury.

Stokes gave up three touchdowns in starting the last two weeks. The Packers need him to play for his own growth and development. Now, rather than having at least four games to launch into 2024, it will be a long offseason.

Stokes broke up 14 passes in 16 games (14 starts) as a rookie; he allowed a 46.2 percent catch rate, according to Sports Info Solutions. In 12 games (11 starts) in 2022 and 2023, Stokes broke up zero passes while allowing 22-of-30 passing (73.3 percent).

Signed: S Benny Sapp

The Packers added to their depth in the secondary and on special teams by promoting safety Benny Sapp to the 53-man roster. The undrafted rookie was out of practice-squad elevations. He had a tackle on special teams against the Lions and Panthers.

For Sapp, the transaction is a huge deal. His father spent the 2008 and 2009 seasons with the Vikings, where he started 11 games and intercepted two passes.

“The little Benny Sapp, he definitely had the best time,” Sapp told Packer Central. “Growing up and seeing your dad play for the Vikings and stuff and hoping that my dad’s team would win. When they won, he’d take me in the locker room. Experiencing stuff like that, man, it really inspired my life – my entire life, honestly – because not a lot of people are able to have a dad like that. Being able to do that, it was crazy.”

After some horrendous luck with injuries in high school, Sapp opened his college career at the University of Minnesota before earning FCS All-American honors last year at Northern Iowa.

“He’s excited,” Sapp said. “He told me if, by the grace of God, I handle my business and make the 53-man roster down the road by keeping my head down and stacking days, he said he’s going to pull up to the Vikings game with all green on.”

Elevated: WR Bo Melton

Christian Watson (hamstring) and Dontayvion Wicks (chest/ankle) didn’t practice this week. Watson almost certainly will miss a fourth consecutive game and Wicks will go through a pregame workout. Thus, bringing Melton up for Sunday was a no-brainer. Really, the only question was whether he’d be elevated or signed.

Melton was a seventh-round pick by the Seattle Seahawks last year. He joined the Packers late last season and spent most of this season on the practice squad. He made his NFL debut against Detroit on Thanksgiving, made his first NFL catch two weeks ago against Tampa Bay and caught four passes for 44 yards in last week’s win at Carolina.

“I haven’t played in a long time in an in-season game,” Melton said afterward. “Jordan, me and him in practice have a great connection. Just being able to come out here and show it to the world was an amazing feeling. …

“It’s been a roller coaster, for sure, but I didn’t stop believing in myself.”

Not Elevated: WR Grant DuBose

The Packers could have taken out some insurance at receiver by elevating DuBose, a rookie seventh-round pick. But, that did not happen. Is that a sign of confidence with Wicks? Or are they comfortable going with Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Malik Heath, Samori Toure and Melton as their only receivers?

Not Elevated: DT Jonathan Ford or Chris Slayton

Big defensive tackle TJ Slaton didn’t practice on Thursday or Friday and is questionable with knee and foot injuries. Will Slaton be able to play on Sunday?

Saturday’s roster moves, or lack thereof, probably provided the answer.

The Packers have only five defensive linemen on their roster; going without Slaton would have left just four. The options on the practice squad were a pair of former seventh-round picks who have not played in a regular-season game.

Green Bay’s run defense has been a weakness for most of the season, but Slaton has been a relatively consistent force. Slaton has been in on 12 stuffs – a tackle at or behind the line of scrimmage vs. the run. That’s second-most on the team (Isaiah McDuffie has 15) and almost as many as fellow starting defensive linemen Kenny Clark (nine) and Devonte Wyatt (four) combined.

“I think TJ’s done a great job,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “He’s obviously our biggest body inside, and then he’s provided not only in the run support but I would say in his ability to get push in the pocket on those passing downs when he’s in there. I think he’s progressed really well over these last couple of years.”

Not Elevated: CB Zyon Gilbert

Without the suspended Jaire Alexander and the injured Stokes, the Packers are down to Carrington Valentine and Corey Ballentine as the starting corners, Keisean Nixon as the starting slot, and midseason additions David Long and Robert Rochell as depth. Rochell is questionable with a neck injury but the Packers did not add Gilbert, who was signed to the practice squad a couple months ago.