Packers 2018 Draft: To trade, or not to trade? Potential draft day suitors
By Chad Bellin
To trade, or not to trade? A look at three teams the Green Bay Packers could strike a draft-day deal with.
Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst will be looking to make quite an impression this week.
After years of sitting in the shadows, the new personnel boss will select his first draft class. Gutekunst has already been busy in free agency, making acquisitions and triggering notable departures.
But nothing compares to the NFL Draft when it comes to crafting and building a team. With 12 selections, the Packers are poised to add a lot of depth. When the opportunities to trade arise in the early rounds, what will the Packers do? And whom will they do it with?
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals suffered a disappointing 2017 campaign after a run of success under former head coach Bruce Arians. During most of his tenure, he rode the talented but often injured arm of Carson Palmer.
With Palmer now retired, journeyman Sam Bradford is the presumed starter at quarterback, so long as his knees hold out. The Cardinals hold the 15th pick in Round 1 – the pick directly after the Packers. It wouldn’t be a stretch to imagine the Packers swapping places with the Cardinals if a player like Lamar Jackson was still on the board.
New England Patriots
Bill Belichick is as savvy managing personnel as he is coaching. With multiple picks in the first and second rounds, the Patriots are up to something. If the Packers were offered the Patriots’ Round 1 selections (23 and 31) for 14, that would be an attractive offer. With all of their needs on defense, this move would allow the Packers the luxury of adding a wide receiver or offensive lineman early. The Patriots would likely target Jackson, or a coveted defensive stud like Harold Landry or Tremaine Edmunds.
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Cleveland Browns
The Browns will look to secure their quarterback of the future in Sam Darnold with the top pick, At 4, they will add Saquon Barkley or Bradley Chubb. That’s a great first round. But the Browns will still have three second-round selections. If a player they’re targeting is still available in the middle of the first round, would those three second-rounders be attractive to Gutekunst? With a draft stocked with depth at key need positions – this is a move the Packers would have to consider.