Packers: Four potential trade targets ahead of the deadline
By Evan Siegel
Four trade targets for the Green Bay Packers before the deadline.
The Green Bay Packers are far from a Super Bowl team.
With a new general manager in town, here are five players the team should consider before the trade deadline:
Chandler Jones is the type of player that the Packers were hoping to get when they signed Muhammad Wilkerson in free agency. Mike Pettine’s defensive scheme is designed to feature a defensive end that can provide an interior pass rush so he can design exotic blitzes with defensive backs.
With Wilkerson’s injury ending his season, the defensive front has become soft. With the Arizona Cardinals’ season all but over already at 1-6, the Cardinals appear to be in a bit of a fire sale.
They have even reportedly entertained the idea of trading star cornerback Patrick Peterson. Jones is the better option for the Packers given the lack of young pieces that the team has invested in on the defensive line.
Jones is a fit in Pettine’s scheme, and is not getting in the way of anyone’s growth on the defensive line. The Packers need to become legitimately tough to beat on the defensive side of the ball, and Jones’ skill set fits their needs like a glove.
2. Shane Ray
The Packers are desperate for an edge rusher. Shane Ray’s time in Denver has been a bit up and down. After sitting behind both Demarcus Ware and Von Miller, Ray has had a turbulent several seasons.
Green Bay could be the first team that Ray stars for every single Sunday, which could unlock some untapped potential.
Ray has also been coached up by arguably the very best defensive coordinator in the business, Wade Phillips. A trade for Ray wouldn’t even cost the Packers too much, likely no more than a third-round pick.
This is a more ideal trade for the Packers then breaking the bank for another player that they will have to worry about fitting in to their tight salary cap situation.
Green Bay needs to be looking around the league for teams that are losing control of their locker rooms. The Giants have been one of those teams for several years now.
Landon Collins could use a change of scenery. The Packers are desperate for better safety play.
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is a free agent at season’s end, and based on his inconsistent play, probably doesn’t warrant prime free agent money from the Packers.
Collins is also a free agent, which could make the Giants a bit more eager to trade him rather than attempt to secure him into a long-term deal. The Giants are close to an all-out rebuild and already have considerable money tied up in too many players on defense. Collins could be the odd man out.
4. Dante Fowler Jr.
The Packers may want a more proven pass rusher than Dante Fowler Jr., but there is no denying that he is one of the more talented players at his position in the entire league.
The Jacksonville Jaguars’ defensive front is lethal, and gets a tremendous rush on the quarterback. Fowler Jr. doesn’t exactly have a place in the rotation with all the other star defensive ends in front of him, and with Jacksonville’s cap troubles, it is tough to see a way for the team to retain him long term.
The Packers are clearly not close to a Super Bowl at the moment, so they should look to add as many young, ascending players as possible.
Next. Top 30 moments in Green Bay Packers history. dark
Fowler Jr. fits that mold perfectly. The Packers defensive coaching staff is questionable at best, but they are also in dire need of top-end talent. It’s time to pull the trigger.