3 Moves Packers Should Make After Trade Deadline

There was a sense of anticipation surrounding the Green Bay Packers as this year’s NFL trade deadline approached. Would they swing for a game-changing pass rusher or make a bold move to shore up their cornerback depth with a player like Marshon Lattimore? In the end, though, Green Bay opted for a familiar approach: patience over action.

While General Manager Brian Gutekunst has shown a growing interest in free agency and player acquisitions beyond the draft, the trade market still seems to be an area he hasn’t fully embraced.

For the second year in a row, the Packers were sellers, moving veteran defensive end Preston Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a seventh-round pick. A year after sending Rasul Douglas to the Bills, the Packers once again opted to trade a proven veteran rather than add reinforcements.

Many fans may feel deflated after the deadline, hoping for a move to signal an aggressive push toward Super Bowl contention. However, Green Bay’s front office is sticking with its philosophy of long-term development, building around a young core and looking ahead.

Even so, the Packers have work to do, and here are steps they can still take to bolster the roster.

1. Sign a Defensive End to the Practice Squad

With Preston Smith gone, the Packers need to shore up their depth at defensive end. One immediate solution is to sign a promising pass rusher to the practice squad. This gives Green Bay flexibility, allowing them to rotate talent without a major financial commitment.

The Packers’ scouting department has likely been monitoring practice squads across the league, identifying potential players they could poach with the promise of a higher salary. Adding a young, hungry pass rusher to the practice squad not only addresses their current depth issue but also gives the coaching staff a developmental project.