The NFC North is an absolute blood bath, and the Green Bay Packers are no longer the sole rulers of the division. All four teams have Super Bowl aspirations and realistic chances of making a deep postseason run.
However, as rare as intra-division trades might be, the Packers and Detroit Lions have big incentives to help each other right now. However, that doesn't mean they hold equal bargaining power in this particular situation.
Through four weeks, the Lions have the absolute worst pass defense in the league, and it's not even close. Considering that, they might be desperate enough to take Carrington Valentine off the Packers' hands with a trade.
The Packers should offer Carrington Valentine to the Lions
As rare as this might sound, there's already a precedent. Brad Holmes and Brian Gutekunst already worked out a deal in the 2023 NFL Draft, with the Lions moving up in the second round to get Brian Branch and the Packers ultimately leveraging the No. 48 pick to get Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, and Karl Brooks.
Now, with Valentine losing his job to rookie Brandon Cisse and set to become a free agent, Gutekunst could get Holmes on the phone again. The Lions stood pat as the Dallas Cowboys traded for Joey Porter Jr., but they might be more willing to make a minor move for Valentine's expiring $3.6 million salary.
At this point, anything the Packers can get for their ever-struggling cornerback would be a win. He's barely played this season, yet he's given up three catches on as many targets for 16 yards and a touchdown.
The Packers revamped that unit with Brandon Cisse and Benjamin St-Juste, and with Keisean Nixon playing better than anticipated, Valentine might only take the field in certain situations or in the event of an injury.
Beggars can't be choosers, and the Lions might be the only team desperate enough to actually give anything for Valentine. They're currently last in scoring defense (31.8 PPG), total yards given up per game (446.8), and passing yards allowed per game (304). They're also last in defensive EPA per drive, success rate, and explosive play rate.
With not many realistic options available in the trade market and the Lions not being interested in spending big bucks to salvage their season, they should be looking at mid-to-lower-tier guys like Valentine. They probably won't inquire about him, though, given the NFC North rivalry, so the Packers should be proactive here.
This is the perfect opportunity to move on from a player who won't be on the roster next season, get something in return for one of their biggest liabilities, and also ensure the Lions' pass defense remains as bad as it is while giving them the illusion of help.
Gutekunst has left plenty to be desired with some of the moves he made before his recent offensive line overhaul. Even so, pulling off this evil master plan would certainly buy him some credit among the fan base.
Add us as a preferred source on Google