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Green Bay Packers: 4 Trade Targets with Deadline Looming

By Paul Bretl

Aug 22, 2021; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Giants tight end Evan Engram (88) runs the ball during warmups before the game against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 22, 2021; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Giants tight end Evan Engram (88) runs the ball during warmups before the game against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports /
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Green Bay Packers
Oct 3, 2021; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) returns a kick during the first quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports /

Green Bay Packers Trade Target: Brandon Aiyuk, WR, San Francisco

Again, not a necessity but there is no such thing as having too many weapons on offense.

For a Green Bay Packers team that currently has just two receivers under contract in 2022 — Randall Cobb and Amari Rodgers — bringing in Brandon Aiyuk, who still has two years remaining on his rookie deal, would not only add some playmaking ability this season but in future years as well.

Aiyuk had an impressive rookie season in 2020, catching 65 percent of his 93 targets for 748 yards and five touchdowns. This year, however, he has fallen out of favor, with only 16 targets through the first seven weeks.

"His sophomore campaign has seen him relegated to the bottom of the 49ers’ list of pass-catching options,” writes Kyle Madson of Niners Wire. “Aiyuk’s 16 targets through six games tied him for fourth on the team with fullback Kyle Juszczyk. He’s turned those targets into nine catches for 96 yards and a touchdown. He’s an extremely talented player, but head coach Kyle Shanahan and offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel don’t seem to have much use for him. A team willing to part with a late Day 2 or early Day 3 draft pick might be getting a star for a great price, while the 49ers get a pick back for a player they’ve buried in their offense."

It’s been well documented at this point that the Green Bay Packers were very much interested in Aiyuk in the 2020 NFL Draft before the Niners jumped ahead of Green Bay to select him. With his ability to move around the formation, pick up yards after the catch, and be utilized as a gadget player, he is a very good fit for the LaFleur offense–hence why Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers wanted him as well.

Although there may be some overlap in skill-set with Amari Rodgers, that’s just something you figure out along the way. I can’t imagine that LaFleur or Aaron Rodgers would have any issues with having to work another dynamic player into the offense.

With that said, the big question is, how willing is San Francisco to move on from their 2020 first round pick already?

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