The Green Bay Packers are in an interesting spot. They became serious Super Bowl contenders by trading for Micah Parsons and now lead the NFC entering Week 9.
Cornerback play and the offensive line's run-blocking are the two main areas of concern, but the Packers shouldn't overpay for a trade for the sake of it. They don't have the draft resources to waste, having sent their next two first-rounders to the Dallas Cowboys and a sixth-round choice to the Philadelphia Eagles.
That likely rules them out of a truly big swing, barring a move they can't refuse, but GM Brian Gutekunst could still find a bargain or two on the market. These two deadline-day deals come to mind.
Two trade deadline deals that would make sense for the Packers
Packers-Dolphins trade idea for CB Rasul Douglas
The Packers will struggle to find a true difference-making, long-term starter at cornerback before the trade deadline. Unless they want to roll the dice on a reclamation project or add a slot-only corner, which they don't need, Gutekunst should consider a short-term fix.
A reunion with Rasul Douglas makes a ton of sense. After a down year in Buffalo, Douglas is bouncing back for the Dolphins. His 74.5 PFF coverage grade ranks 18th among all cornerbacks, with quarterbacks earning a passer rating of only 79.6 when throwing his way.
Douglas has five pass defenses this season, and his aggressive attack-the-ball mentality would perfectly fit Jeff Hafley's system. He has 19 career interceptions, including 10 for the Packers, and could provide the turnovers this defense needs.
Miami has officially hit the reset button by shockingly firing GM Chris Grier, which appears to push the door wide open for a trade-deadline fire sale. The 31-year-old Douglas is a free agent in the offseason after signing a one-year, $1.57 million contract with the Dolphins.
Best-case scenario? Douglas takes a starting job and provides the short-term cover the Packers need. Worst-case? He adds depth behind the starters and leaves as a free agent in March.
Packers-Raiders trade idea for OL Jackson Powers-Johnson
The Packers won't want to part ways with valuable draft assets unless the deal is too good to pass up, and this would undoubtedly qualify. It's hard to make sense of it, but 2024 second-round pick Jackson Powers-Johnson has fallen out of favor with Pete Carroll in Las Vegas.
According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, Powers-Johnson "has drawn interest" ahead of the trade deadline, noting that there's a "possibility he'll get moved."
The Raiders clearly don't rate Powers-Johnson at guard, but that's the beauty of it. His best position is center, where he could play for the Packers in 2026 and beyond. The 22-year-old offers the positional versatility the Packers love, and he could play guard in the short term, but if the team moves on from Elgton Jenkins in the offseason, they'd have the perfect replacement already on the roster.
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Powers-Johnson's play has declined slightly this season, with PFF crediting him with two sacks allowed in the opening seven games. However, he only gave up two sacks and three hits all of last year.
His best play comes in the run game, with a 72.0 run-blocking grade this season to follow last year's 70.4. For perspective, he ranks 23rd among 120 qualifying interior linemen this season. That's better than any Packers lineman: Sean Rhyan ranks 61st, Elgton Jenkins 67th, and Aaron Banks a disappointing 106th.
In the short term, Powers-Johnson could compete for playing time at guard. At worst, he'd provide great depth. But from next season and beyond, he could become Green Bay's starting center. The second-year pro has shown enough quality in pass-protection to feel excited about his potential, and his run-blocking ability is everything this Packers offense needs.