What was a helpful tool for NFL teams became a much more interesting and difficult decision. When the NFL created the rookie-scale contract with the 2011 CBA, teams had a fifth-year option for first-round picks. It was a non-guaranteed option to be exercised after the third season, but the team could just cut the player without repercussions if things went bad in year 4. That’s not the case anymore.
Since the 2020 CBA, the fifth-year option is fully guaranteed, making the decision much less automatic. And that’s what is in the Green Bay Packers’ leadership minds. By May, the team has to make a decision regarding cornerback Eric Stokes, but it’s difficult to guarantee him so much money considering what has happened over the last two seasons.
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Value
There are four different tiers for fifth-year option value per position, based on player achievements during his first three seasons in the league. The first one is the basic, when the player didn’t reach playing time thresholds. That’s Stokes’ case. And the basic value for cornerbacks will be $11.294 million in 2025.