3 players Packers could use as trade chips in 2021 NFL Draft
Trading players away during the NFL Draft doesn’t happen all that often. The Green Bay Packers love to make a trade during the three-day event, but that typically involves only picks going in both directions.
But what if general manager Brian Gutekunst gets creative during this year’s draft and makes a deal with another team, sending a player in return for more draft picks?
We saw a couple of players get traded during the 2020 NFL Draft. The San Francisco 49ers traded for Pro Bowl offensive tackle Trent Williams, while the 49ers also traded away wide receiver Marquise Goodwin to the Philadelphia Eagles during the draft.
Maybe the Packers will make a similar move this year, trading a player for picks. Here are three potential candidates:
Jace Sternberger
While it seems unlikely the Packers will want to give up on former third-round pick Jace Sternberger just yet, things haven’t worked out for the tight end in his first two seasons. And with the emergence of Robert Tonyan last season, perhaps the Packers would be willing to listen to offers.
From the perspective of another team, they’d be banking on Sternberger’s potential. After all, there’s reason why he was a Day 2 pick. Sternberger has just 12 receptions in two years, but maybe another team would be willing to take a chance.
Dean Lowry
Dean Lowry didn’t play well in 2020 and the Packers absolutely need to get stronger along the defensive line this offseason. Trading Lowry would create some cap room this season, and also save some significant room for 2022.
For another team, trading a late-round pick for a player with 51 career starts could make sense. Lowry has experience and is still only 26 years old.
For the Packers, they could move on and create some cap room.
Josh Jackson
A former second-round pick, Josh Jackson has been unable to secure a regular spot in Green Bay’s defense and was a healthy scratch often last season.
But that doesn’t mean another team wouldn’t be willing to take a chance for a late-round draft pick. Jackson was a second-round pick and perhaps a different scheme would suit him better.
It’s possible new defensive coordinator Joe Barry plans to get him more involved than Mike Pettine did. The early rounds of the draft could give us an indication of that, depending on if the Packers go strong at cornerback or not.
It could be a low-risk move for another team, and if the Packers do draft multiple corners early, trading away Jackson later on could also make sense.