The Green Bay Packers are sitting on a 6-3 record and have looked like a legitimate contender more often than not. As such, one can understand why general manager Brian Gutekunst might not want to fix what's not broken.
That said, just because this team is winning right now doesn't mean that they didn't have multiple glaring flaws and issues to address. They're all taken care of on some fronts, but they have major areas for improvement.
Whatever the case, the Packers choose to stand pat at the trade deadline, and barring a surprise, they won't dig into the free-agent market, either. Considering that, let's take a look at the winners (and the one loser) from this approach.
Winners and losers from the Packers' inactivity at the trade deadline
Winner: Kaleb Johnson
Not even watching Josh Jacobs leave with yet another injury was enough for the Packers to add another running back to the mix. They have the absolute worst running game in the league, and it's not particularly close.
Kaleb Johnson figures to benefit the most from this decision. While he struggles with ball security, he's been the most explosive ball carrier in Matt LaFleur's backfield, though it's not like the bar is particularly high.
Winner: Carrington Valentine
Carrington Valentine was a liability last season, and he was singled out as a potential roster casualty this year. He survived the roster cuts, but there were still doubts about whether they'd hold onto him past the deadline.
He's fallen behind star rookie Brandon Cisse in the pecking order, and with Keisan Nixon also playing well, he's not likely to take the field often in the second half of the season. Even so, he'll be a Packer for a little longer.
Winner: Trey Smack
It's not usual to see kickers being traded, but we've seen crazier things in this league. Trey Smack has been a concern in recent weeks, but it looks like the Packers are willing to give him more opportunities to live up to his pre-draft hype.
Of course, this doesn't mean he should be in the clear. If anything, there's always a market for kickers. Smack has the benefit of the doubt now because of how comically low the bar was, but he should be shown the door if he struggles again.
Winner: Pass-rushers
There were multiple rumors tying this team to Josh Sweat. He's got a close relationship with Jonathan Gannon, and his ability to suit up at both defensive end and outside linebacker would've given this team another dynamic headhunter.
Micah Parsons' return will inevitably take a toll on Barryn Sorrell and Dani Dennis-Sutton's playing time, and even Lukas Van Ness might take a step back. As such, everyone in that room can be relieved that they didn't also add Sweat.
Loser: Jordan Love
The Packers have the best wide receiver duo in the game, but what if one gets hurt? They didn't give Jordan Love any weapons other than Matthew Golden and Christian Watson, and the running game remained unaddressed.
The offensive line is a work in progress, but it has also been a talking point for all the wrong reasons this season. Love is playing at an MVP level, and it would've been nice to see the team give him a hand for a change.
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