Jordan Howard trade helps the Green Bay Packers

The Chicago Bears have traded away one of their best players, and that’s good news for the Green Bay Packers.

Did the Chicago Bears forget how talented Jordan Howard is?

On Thursday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that the Green Bay Packers‘ division rivals have traded Howard to the Philadelphia Eagles for a conditional 2020 draft pick. It’s a sixth-round pick that could become a fifth-rounder.

The Bears might say Howard wasn’t a good scheme fit in Matt Nagy’s offense, but he’s still a very good running back, who in three years has two 1,000-yard seasons and in 2018 came close with 935 yards and nine touchdowns. He was a Pro Bowler in 2016 and named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team the same year.

Instead, the Eagles bring in an excellent running back, and the Bears receive a late-round pick next year. Had they let Howard hit free agency next offseason, there’s a good chance they could’ve received a higher compensatory pick in 2021.

But for Packers fans, this is good news. The Packers no longer have to play against Howard twice a season, although they will play against his new team at Lambeau Field in 2019.

Howard didn’t have great success against Green Bay; he didn’t have a single 100-yard performance against the Packers. But it’s worth noting that in many of those games, the Bears were playing from behind. In a close game back in 2016 — a narrow 30-27 Green Bay victory at Soldier Field — Howard averaged over five yards per carry with 90 yards and a touchdown.

The Packers will visit Soldier Field in the season opener this September, and getting a win on the road against the NFC North champions won’t be an easy task, especially considering it will be Matt LaFleur’s debut as a head coach.

But they now don’t have to worry about playing against Howard. The Bears’ decision to trade away one of their best players is good news for the rest of the NFC North.