The Green Bay Packers aren't getting enough of a return on investment with tight end Luke Musgrave, who could draw a good amount of interest at the NFL trade deadline.
The strategy of Packers GM Brian Gutekunst paid off in a big way with the 2023 NFL Draft class at tight end, where he used a second-round pick on Musgrave and a third-round pick on Tucker Kraft. We know Gutekunst loves to double up at certain positions (sometimes more), but this was a particularly fortuitous decision.
Kraft has become one of the best tight ends in the NFL, while Musgrave is barely playing over 30 percent of the offensive snaps. With 12 catches in his last 13 games, is it time for the Packers to consider getting the best value they can for Musgrave and shipping him off to a different situation?
Luke Musgrave could be used as Packers trade chip to upgrade at cornerback
One of the areas the Packers could look to upgrade at the NFL trade deadline is the cornerback position. Nate Hobbs has been rather disastrous as a free-agent signing, and the Packers are feeling the losses of players like Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes, if only from a talent and possible solution perspective.
Hobbs is allowing a team-worst quarterback rating of 121.4 in coverage, and Carrington Valentine is right behind him allowing a QB rating of 117.5.
What if the Packers sent Musgrave to some team that loved him in the 2023 NFL Draft, a team like the Denver Broncos, in exchange for a cornerback like Ja'Quan McMillian?
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McMillian is an interesting name to watch at the trade deadline because of the Broncos' enviable depth at the position. They've got first-round pick Jahdae Barron waiting in the wings, as well as promising second-year player Kris Abrams-Draine buried on the depth chart.
McMillian is in the final year of his contract with the team, is a restricted free agent after the season, and just turned 25 over the summer. He's got team control beyond this season, is a young player who has played well in the slot, and even has some experience playing on the outside.
During the preseason, McMillian made a great play breaking on the ball against the San Francisco 49ers while playing outside corner, picking off a pass.
He's outstanding as a blitzer and playing the run, but has been a little grabby over the past couple of seasons. While nobody is perfect in coverage, McMillian has allowed a 60.5 percent completion rate over the course of his career.
If the Packers want to make a player-for-player type of deal at the deadline to keep as much draft capital as possible, this kind of trade could be the ticket. The Broncos liked Musgrave back in 2023 and don't have a young tight end on the roster who could be featured in the passing game behind Evan Engram. They simply didn't have a chance to draft him without any first- or second-round picks in that draft class.
This trade would give the Packers another option at corner with team control beyond this season, and it would allow the Broncos to play their top pick in a more extensive role while also getting something of value for McMillian while they can.