The Green Bay Packers can go into the final week of the regular season still being in the playoff conversation, just as long as they vanquish their detested foe, the Minnesota Vikings, on the road this New Year's Eve. That mission has become more complicated with recent absences to the secondary.

With former All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander set to serve a one-game suspension due to conduct detrimental to the team, the Packers are now going to be without Eric Stokes for the rest of the season. He has been placed on the Injured Reserve with a hamstring injury, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

The No. 29 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft was already ruled out of Sunday's contest, but this latest development will also limit Green Bay's secondary depth for its Week 18 battle with the Chicago Bears. This is a nightmare for Stokes, who missed most of the year with injuries. He finishes his abbreviated 2023-24 campaign with six combined tackles and one tackle for loss in only three games played.

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Heath has been a recurring theme for this group throughout its fluctuating season. Given all of that unforeseen adversity, as well as the transition of Jordan Love into the starting quarterback role, missing the playoffs should not be considered a failure. It is important, however, that the Packers give their fans more reasons for future optimism in these next two games.

One thing is for certain, with Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes out, the optimism for Vikings fans and wide receiver Justin Jefferson should be quickly rising.