With 11 picks in the upcoming draft, Green Bay has plenty of ammunition to move around the board and target a few blue-chip players. In an alternative universe, the Packers keep all 11 picks in all seven rounds of the draft. But given their depth at most positions, the team can afford to be bold. There are three draft-day trades the Packers should make.
1. Package Picks to Move up in the First Round
At pick 25, the Packers could miss out on an elite cornerback or tackle prospect. Brian Gutekunst has proven he’s willing and unafraid to trade up in the draft for a certain player. In 2020, doing so landed the Packers Jordan Love. The year before, Gutekunst traded back into the first round to select Darnell Savage Jr. In 2018, Gutekunst maneuvered the board to gain a future first-round pick plus a blue-chip player in Jaire Alexander. With 11 selections this year, it seems imminent that Gutekunst will be active on the phone when day one of the draft kicks off.
Proposed trade: Green Bay sends picks 25 and 41 to Denver for pick 12.
The Packers select: Quinyon Mitchell – CB Toledo
Denver is in full rebuild mode. There’s been talk about the Broncos moving up (likely for a quarterback), but teams like the Vikings and Giants are better positioned to move into the top 5 to get their guy. If Denver accepts this trade, they can use pick 41 on a quarterback like Michael Penix or Bo Nix while still landing a top defender or receiver with pick 25.
2. Slide Around the Second Round
If Gutekunst is unable to trade up in the first round, he could look to move up on day two for a higher pick. With five picks in the top 100, Green Bay should look for quality over quantity. The Panthers are a team that needs quantity, meaning they could be open for business on day two.
Proposed trade: Green Bay sends picks 41 and 91 to Carolina for pick 33.
The Packers select: Edgerrin Cooper – LB Texas A&M
Like the Broncos, the Panthers find themselves in a full rebuild. New GM Dan Morgan could look for extra picks to build around Bryce Young. The Panthers have plenty of needs and also pick 39. This year’s class of receivers brings all different flavors, so Carolina could find themselves loving a player like Ladd McKonkey or Ricky Pearsall. Both should be available at 39. Green Bay, meanwhile, fills one of its biggest needs with Cooper.
3. Trade out of the First
Teams are going to target the top cornerbacks and tackles early. This could leave Green Bay on the outside looking in when it comes to landing a blue-chip player. But extra capital never hurts when it comes to adding depth. Tampa Bay picks right after Green Bay in the first round, and they’re a team that could be a sneaky candidate to select one of the second-tier quarterbacks. This could mean pick 25 becomes valuable to teams looking to target one of those quarterbacks or a receiver that starts to slide.
Proposed trade: New England sends picks 34 and 68 to Green Bay for pick 25.
The Patriots select: Michael Penix Jr. – QB Washington
The Packers select: Payton Wilson – LB NC State (Pick 34)
Jaylen Wright – RB Tennessee (Pick 68)
The Patriots are primed to trade out of the third-overall pick. Doing so would net their future capital and more flexibility to move around the board as they try to build depth. This trade would also allow New England to move back into the first round for a player like Penix, who could push for immediate playing time and make them more competitive. Green Bay then doesn’t have to reach for Wilson, one of the top linebackers in the draft. With A.J. Dillon playing on a one-year contract, Wright could be a player the Packers target to fill his shoes next season.
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