Packers trade for Giants cornerback Isaac Yiadom
The Green Bay Packers are getting some more help at cornerback.
With depth at the position still a concern, the Packers have decided to make a move. According to FanSided’s National NFL Insider Matt Lombardo, Green Bay is trading for New York Giants cornerback Isaac Yiadom.
Yiadom arrives in Green Bay a year after he was traded to the Giants from the Denver Broncos.
The #Giants have traded CB Isaac Yiadom to the #Packers, sources say. #NFL
— Matt Lombardo (@MattLombardoNFL) August 17, 2021
According to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, the Packers are sending cornerback Josh Jackson to the Giants in the deal.
Don’t expect Yiadom to become a game-changer for Joe Barry’s defense.
Lombardo noted that “Yiadom became expendable” for the Giants after they traded for cornerback Keion Crossen earlier this week.
What Yiadom does bring is some starting experience. According to Pro Football Reference, he started 10 games for the Giants last season. However, he allowed a passer rating of 120.1 in his coverage, along with 480 yards, six touchdowns, and only five pass defenses.
The Packers will likely need him to contribute on special teams, although he played on less than a third of the Giants’ special-teams snaps last season.
It’s not all that surprising that the Packers have traded for a cornerback. Outside of the top three of Jaire Alexander, Kevin King, and Eric Stokes, depth is an area of concern for this secondary.
Jackson struggled in the Packers’ preseason opener. With it seeming unlikely he’d make the team’s 53-man roster, being able to bring back another cornerback in a trade is a good move by general manager Brian Gutekunst. Jackson likely would’ve been cut in the near future. He now gets a fresh start with the Giants.
How Yiadom fits into the depth chart remains to be seen. He’ll likely just be a depth option for the time being and asked to play some special teams. But with Jackson departing, the Packers needed to ensure they maintained some cornerback depth.