Packers ‘on board’ with making a trade, but will they?
By Paul Bretl
The NFL trade deadline is nearing, and according to Matt LaFleur, the Green Bay Packers are on board with making an addition. However, they also won’t be making a move just for the sake of doing so.
"“We’ve been having those conversations for weeks now, and it really comes down to opportunity,” head coach Matt LaFleur said of his trade deadline communication with Gutekunst via The Athletic. “If the right opportunity presents itself, I know that Gutey’s all on board trying to upgrade our roster. You’re always trying to do that, but we’re not just going to do a silly deal.”"
This coincides with a recent report from Ian Rapoport, who mentioned that the Packers had been calling around about a wide receiver, but as of Sunday, nothing has materialized. Under Gutekunst, the Packers are often in the conversation, which is his goal, but nothing of magnitude ever seems to come to fruition.
At 3-5, the Packers’ playoff hopes are barely hanging on as the defense continues to underperform and the offense sputters. Without question, adding a wide receiver to this offense would help, but would it move the needle enough to truly turn this season around? I tend to think not.
The Packers’ inability to push the ball downfield with any sort of regularity has handcuffed this offense and allows defenses to play more aggressively by shrinking the field without fear of getting beat over the top. We’ve also seen dropped passes and the wrong routes being run by receivers–so I’ll again reiterate that I do believe a wide receiver addition would help.
With that said, those aren’t the only issues that this team is experiencing. Inconsistency along the offensive line has played a major role in the offense’s struggles, as have penalties, turnovers, inaccurate passes, not being aligned correctly, and overall, an offense that is lacking an identity. Then there is the defensive side of the ball which has its own set of issues.
Ultimately, the Packers need to crawl before they can walk, and what I mean by that is they have to do the little things correctly before making a new addition or altering the play calls can truly have a significant impact.
Perhaps a wide receiver helps the Packers make the playoffs, which would be great, but even so, no matter how hard I squint, I can’t see a Super Bowl contender, which is the ultimate goal. And if that isn’t in play, then I wouldn’t be willing to sink more draft capital and cap space into this season.
Now, of course, maybe Gutekunst feels completely differently, and if that’s the case, the Packers should be looking to add a receiver who is not on an expiring contract, so at least the addition can make an impact in 2023.
There are several receivers who are reportedly available and still on their rookie deals, which means they come with team control and low cap hits, an ideal mix for Green Bay. This group includes Denzel Mims, Elijah Moore, and Chase Claypool.
Veteran receivers with multiple years left on their contracts include DJ Moore and Brandin Cooks, although the cap hits that the Packers would have to absorb in 2023 make these trades feel unlikely. Marquez Callaway of New Orleans is on just a one year deal, but as a former UDFA, it is a relatively inexpensive contract to absorb.
Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler of the Denver Broncos are two other names who have been mentioned with the deadline approaching, but a recent report from Adam Schefter suggests that neither will be available.
Other less-appealing names that have been discussed as on the potential trade block — although not in direct connection with the Packers — include Kenny Golladay and AJ Green.
If you want an under-the-radar name to watch, Kendrick Bourne of New England would be a great fit in LaFleur’s offense with his ability to pick up YAC and to line up all over the formation. He also has experience in the system playing under Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco.
The 2022 trade deadline takes place on Tuesday, November 1st, at 3:00 CST. Do you think the Green Bay Packers will make a move? If so, who do they acquire?