Packers In-season player acquisition thread

[BrewerFan]

I didn't know if I should put this just in the Packers 2024 thread or make a new one. It'll heat up as the deadline comes. Hopefully not out of need due to injury, but that always plays some role. 

Kicker has been mentioned...OBVIOUSLY. But I just saw another really interesting one. Dexter Lawrence trade rumors. The Giants MAY be open to trading him(nothing from any legitimate source yet, so just speculation).

I don't think this team has any other real needs as of now. Getting a kicker should be the priority.

I'm not going to talk about Davante Adams or just any big name. Maybe Devin Lloyd is worth discussing. You'd have to assume the Jags are going to punt on the season if they lose another game and start 0-5 but Devin Lloyd may be a perfect fit and among the players the Jags look to move. He slides in as the MLB, Quay and Cooper on either side. Also creates a lot more mixing and matching similar to the Chiefs when they play with Chenal, Bolton and Tranquill. Chenal is listed as a starter, but they move him around, edge rusher or they have him rush up the middle. That could be Cooper as they ease him in. 

 

But IF Dexter Lawrence is traded this year(and I'm very skeptical a team would trade him) he'd likely be the best player to be traded since maybe Adams or Rodgers(I can't think of another player of that caliber in recent years and both were traded under unique circumstances). 

The contract is already incredibly cheap for the best IDL in the NFL, and really a guy who as a 3-4 NT was unprecedented as far as I can recall as a pass rusher.

He's basically a combo of Kenny Clark at his best and what we've seen of Wyatt this year. 

Cons

• -I can't really think of any other than we gave Clark more than this, but that's a sunk cost. Lawrence is just better and it'd take a LOT of pressure off Clark.
• He hasn't played in a 4-3...I don't believe
• Only so much money to go around...but again, players of THIS caliber are rare.
• Zero need for the Giants to trade him and a team like KC may be inclined to give up 2 1sts+ as he's that good of a player. 

Pros

• As I said, he's the best all-around IDL. Hasn't played in a 3-4, but he's gotten a TON of pressures as a 0 Tech, so as a 3 technique in one gap, he'd be up there with Donald and JJ Watt in terms of dominant DL the last decade.
  
  From PFF when they ranked him the 11t best player overall in the NFL;

• Quote

  Dexter Lawrence is rewriting what was thought to be possible at the nose tackle position. Over the past two seasons, his resume includes 81 quarterback pressures when lining up either head-up over the center or shaded to either side of the center. The next-closest player has 16. Lawrence disrupts the game from a true nose-tackle alignment better than any player PFF has seen over the past 18 seasons. He is a truly unique athlete who is only getting better.

• Our DL could be overwhelming. A guy like him who commands constant double teams, Wyatt, Clark, Gary, LVN, Enagbare, Brooks, he'd make life that much easier for the rest.
  Put Gary/Lawrence/Clark/LVN out there with Quay/Cooper and then Jaire/Nixon/Stokes/Bullard/McKinney while rotating in Slaton, Wyatt(who probably plays 50% when he's healthy), Brooks and then Smith, Enagbare and I'd like to see more Wooden, but Hafley apparently doesn't see his value in this system thus far. 
• He's SO dominant vs the run AND vs the pass, you're not having to mix and match. You could trade a guy like Slaton. You'd likely be looking at moving on from Kenny Clark unless his play REALLY picks up in the next year(~17M dead cap after 2025 vs 31M cap hit after next off-season).
• His contract FOR THE PACKERS would effectively be 4 years and ~56M. We'd likely find ourselves in the situation the Cardinals did with D-Hop where he'd want an extension and that's something we could accommodate in a year or two. Add two years for 60M or something along those lines. 
  But in the meantime, he'd be a cheap cap hit for a team that has a lot of cap space. 

 

You're starting out with at least a 1st+ a day 2 pick, probably 2 1st rd picks+assets. But this would be the best DL the Packers have had since Reggie White...and he may be as good as Reggie for the Packers. Not that he'd have that type of impact to the franchise, but it'd be significant. 

 

 

It's wildly unrealistic, but...it's being thrown around and it's the first legitimate player I've seen that I thought would make sense for the Packers both in terms of the type of money he would require and the impact...

I don't expect this to go anywhere and I think the Giants would be foolish to trade him. But if you can add draft assets....it's worth considering. 

A final Con, albeit one I really hope the Packers don't put too much weight on, but...you're hosting the draft. You don't want to go into this class with 4 picks. You've already traded a 7th for Willis(which was clearly worth it). Giving up your first would hurt...but you're lucky if you get one 1st rd pick of his caliber every decade, so it'd likely be worth it.

 

An additional note, if we're talking about the Giants, Evan Neal is someone I'd definitely consider trading for. Just worth a flier. I think he's got talent and throwing him in at RG, where he's been playing, could be an upgrade. Or even have him work at OT, namely RT. 

But that's a bit of an afterthought. 

[BrewerFan]

*Move this to the Packers 2024 Season Thread if you think it's more appropriate there. 

[CheezWizHed]

You're good. No need to mush all Packer topics in one thread. 

Davante's trade request: All Packer fans say... yep, told ya so. 

I can see (kind of hope?) the Packers can snag a kicker somewhere. 

[GAME05]

This would be a good time to trade Wicks or Doubs to KC for Chenal +4th. Plus KC plays a 4-3 so Chenal would be able to adjust fast enough.

I like that this thread is separated, too. The Packers thread is big enough to start branching out.

[BrewerFan]

7 hours ago, GAME05 said:

This would be a good time to trade Wicks or Doubs to KC for Chenal +4th. Plus KC plays a 4-3 so Chenal would be able to adjust fast enough.

I like that this thread is separated, too. The Packers thread is big enough to start branching out.

I love Chenal. The only problem is the Chiefs are really using him a lot this year. He's playing on the Edge, he can lineup and play over the middle. He's as good of an athlete as Walker, but he's more physical. 

That's a lot to give up though as I think both Wicks and Doubs can be really good WRs. If I had to, I'd probably give up Doubs, but not Doubs and a 4th,

 

8 hours ago, CheezWizHed said:

Davante's trade request: All Packer fans say... yep, told ya so. 

I can see (kind of hope?) the Packers can snag a kicker somewhere. 

I'm not sure why they gave up on Carr...I think he ends up with the Jets, but he has been remarkably consistent and healthy. 

I think we have to get a kicker unless Narveson just turns it around or they figure something out...but I don't know how common trading kickers is in the regular season. I remember a few before the season, but someone like Nick Folk would be an obvious target. A 40-year-old kicker on a team that's not competitive?

 

No thoughts on Lawrence? Too far fetched?

[CheezWizHed]

3 hours ago, BrewerFan said:

No thoughts on Lawrence? Too far fetched?

In-season trades are pretty rare.  Big trades seem unrealistic

[GAME05]

I don't like a Lawrence trade because we really aren't in a position to need to fix our DL by adding good players so much as just needing the good players currently there to step up. Thus not a position group of need, as opposed to a group LB where McDuffie and #7 probably are playing to their standard and so there's a bigger need for more talent in the group.

Plus a big trade now would likely sap our assets and hamstring us if a bigger need suddenly appeared like a key player getting injured.

[Samurai Bucky]

On 10/3/2024 at 11:27 AM, GAME05 said:

This would be a good time to trade Wicks or Doubs to KC for Chenal +4th. Plus KC plays a 4-3 so Chenal would be able to adjust fast enough.

I like that this thread is separated, too. The Packers thread is big enough to start branching out.

Chenal went to school at Wisconsin.  That takes him off of the Packers' radar.  

[CheezWizHed]

On 10/4/2024 at 1:41 PM, Samurai Bucky said:

Chenal went to school at Wisconsin.  That takes him off of the Packers' radar.  

That kinda, sorta shouldn't be blue... there is an odd avoidance of Packer players... Kind of the anti-Steelers (LB) or Cowboys (OL). 

[BrewerFan]

On 10/4/2024 at 11:11 AM, GAME05 said:

I don't like a Lawrence trade because we really aren't in a position to need to fix our DL by adding good players so much as just needing the good players currently there to step up. Thus not a position group of need, as opposed to a group LB where McDuffie and #7 probably are playing to their standard and so there's a bigger need for more talent in the group.

Plus a big trade now would likely sap our assets and hamstring us if a bigger need suddenly appeared like a key player getting injured.

I missed this one, but now that I was going to add the POSSIBILITY of Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby being traded or talked about being traded, I've seen it.

 

First, ANY time someone like Dexter Lawrence is available, I think you look at where your team is and consider it. He's the type of guy who's so dominant(maybe the most dominant interior defensive linemen in in the last 40 years outside of Aaron Donald vs the pass and he could be just as good when considering his all-around performance). 

If you get a guy who requires 2 men on every single pass play, now Clark, Gary, Wyatt, Smith, whoever else is out there is getting one on one's. 

The difference between adding the BEST MLB doesn't even come close to the impact of adding a guy like Dexter Lawrence. You can absolutely dominant the defensive line with a player THAT good. 

 

Onto Maxx Crosby or Myles Garrett...I think it's a tough call. I think it's still two 1sts. 
I don't think that's THAT big of a deal since Garrett would cost the Packers the minimum this year and the next two years after this one. So his cap hit would end up being under 5M total. That's the upside of trading for a player after a team has already signed him and handed out that big bonus and restructured. 

Maxx Crosby is more expensive. He's also 27 years old whereas Garrett is 29 and Haasan Reddick who has been rumored is 30 years old, but Crosby is due something like 22M, 24M, and 18M.

These are guys who are playing a 4-3, they're both dominant vs the pass. Crosby plays nearly every snap(as does Garrett). They can kick inside and they're good vs the run.

I think all three of these would be the biggest impact players since Reggie White.

[BrewerFan]

On 10/3/2024 at 10:01 PM, CheezWizHed said:

In-season trades are pretty rare.  Big trades seem unrealistic

They're rare and...I'll just preface this by saying that I think Dexter Lawrence is off the table. The Giants are really building something special with their defensive front and it's all built off him...but I never really thought he was going to be traded, that was more a hypothetical. The other two teams are 1-5 though...so there's a chance they could be traded.

Maxx Crosby and Myles Garrett are a little more likely to be traded. 
The Raiders are waiving the white flag and the Browns are in one of the worst positions I've ever seen a franchise in. What they need to do is strip that roster for parts...and they could stack up 4-5 1st/2nd rd picks for guys like Garrett, Ward, Newsome, Wills, Teller. 

They're 1-5 and they're stuck with Watson, a terrible signing/trade for multiple reasons, right now just on the Football side, they were competitive with Baker and they threw that away for a dirt bag. 

Garrett is 29 years old, they have ~45M in cap space, they could clear his salary, do the same with Ward a couple others, sit one more year with Watson on the bench and then eat that massive cap hit after next year and try and start over with a younger core.

 

Crosby is in a similar situation. He's expressed a desire to play for the Lions and...that really makes all the sense in the world right now. They have a lot of cap space, they replace Hutchinson this year and then when Hutch is back next year, they have one of the best edge rushing combos in NFL history.

 

This trades happen...on occasion. Jalen Ramsey, Bradley Chubb, not quite as good. Brian Burns, the Panthers turned down two 1sts for him and then ended up getting less a year later. 

 

But I think there's about a 40% chance Crosby is traded, 20% chance Garrett is traded. 

I'm asking if you think the Packers should make a move for a player of THAT caliber. They could reunite with former Packer Za'Darius Smith. That'd be a temporary fix and doesn't really move the needle much. He's also not as good vs the run as either Crosby or Garrett(certainly not on the level of Lawrence). 

The prospect of getting a guy back who's better than Gary has ever been...and there are very few DL, interior or edge rushers who can say that and throwing them into this DL, I think that could change the face of this franchise.

I think the offense is just going to keep getting better. Get Love in a grove(which he's been in). The OL is getting better and with Morgan, they'll continue to do so. Jacobs and Wilson have been great for those body shots. And we've still not come CLOSE to playing a clean game. Wicks drops, Musgrave has been banged up(and I still fully believe he will team with Kraft to be a great 1-2 punch at TE). 

 

The defense has played pretty well. The secondary has been outstanding. Getting Jaire and Valentine regularly is huge. The LBer play has been up and down, but you see what Cooper could do. But adding a DL like this is ALMOST like adding a Reggie type player. They are game wreckers and they're not that expensive cap wise.

 

I see this team as a Super Bowl team and while those trades are rare, they happen. I think this team is really just a really good defensive front from being a SB contender and you'd get these guys for 3 years of their prime. That's worth the risk. 

 

On 10/5/2024 at 4:43 PM, CheezWizHed said:

That kinda, sorta shouldn't be blue... there is an odd avoidance of Packer players... Kind of the anti-Steelers (LB) or Cowboys (OL). 

Yeah, a little bit, but the need and draft spots haven't really lined up all that often.

Chenal has been a guy I've been banging the drum for since he was at UW.

He'd did have the best run stuff grade by PFF of any LB they'd EVER scouted behind only...Micah Parsons. He was a freak athlete. I think he'd be perfect at MLB for us with Quay and Cooper flanking him, but what would we have to give up? A guy like Doubs and a late rd pick?

 

I think the Wisconsin thing is a little played up. I can't really think of too many guys who were on the board when we were picking I was banging the drum for. I was excited at the prospect of TJ Watt, but I did a poll on here the day after, did the Packers make the right move taking Kevin King(I think people forget what he looked like as a prospect. 6'2 and had insane testing and was physical at Washington) and getting the extra 4th to move back a few spots and still get the CB they NEEDED after lining Gunter up against Julio in the playoffs. 

I can't think of other guys who were there who were good fits. Taylor, great back, but we would have had to use a Rd 1 on him. Frederick, shocked me, but I don't think he'd have been a good Zone Blocking Center(perhaps a great Guard). Benton in the 3rd is a nice player, but a little early. It just hasn't lined up well on most cases(I'm very likely missing some good examples, but I feel like this is overblown, but I'm open to changing my mind there). 

Even Chenal, I was hoping we'd take him with a 2nd, but then you traded both for Watson and you took Quay and Wyatt. The one time you really passed on him was to take Rhyan, but you were in a 3-4 and had Quay and Campbell coming off an AP year. Then took Doubs, Tom. In hindsight, Chenal would have been ideal. 

Very possible if we don't take Quay early, we pick up Chenal...the only caveat being Leo isn't great in coverage. He could be a great fit right now on this Packers team. He can rush on 3rd down, he's got sideline to sideline speed and can block and shed really well(reminds me of Clay as a MLB but an even better LB, but very instinctive).

 

I think is you really upgrade the DL with one of the players mentioned(Crosby or Garrett), you take a HUGE step in solving the LB issue, but, what the hell, we're so close IMO, we ruin the draft for Packers fans, trade 2 1sts for Maxx Crosby(and break Lions fans hearts and keep Hutch and Crosby from teaming up) and then we offer Doubs and a 5th Chenal and we're good.  

New starting Defense
                    Maxx/Clark/Wyatt/Gary
         Quay            Chenel               Cooper
. 
Jaire    Bullard                                  Stokes

                        Xavier

That's...a DOMINANT defense. Even if you don't get Chenal, you open up that DL, you give Gary one on one's. That SHOULD be the best DL in the NFL(though to be fair, it should be a top 5-8 DL). 

And you have LVN, Enagbare, Slaton, Brooks, Wooden, Smith rotating in. 
You have Valentine, Nixon, Ballentine, Evan Williams and all types of looks you can give. 

 

I think that trade or trades make the Packers the most talented/best team in the league.  Crosby brings an attitude with him that players just feed off of and Garrett is so cheap cap wise and so dominant...again, probably won't happen, but we know how much emphasis Gute puts on Edge rushers, I have no doubt he'd be willing to trade two first to guarantee an All-Pro.

 

Again, it's incredibly unlikely to happen(Chenal may be more unlikely than Crosby as he's a key piece of the KC defense is now...and they have some reason to believe they've got a shot at the SB this year😉) but if you really need a Mike Backer, Devin Lloyd from Jax could be another option. Another 1-5 team...that's a 3rd player who can drop in coverage and rush the passer. That could be an even better fit.

 

I think Detroit is almost certainly going to offer more. They're as close as they've been and Crosby coming back to Michigan is too good of a story and a fit and I suspect Cleveland will hold on to Garrett in the belief that they can just tweak this roster and Watson will figure it out eventually and they also don't have much choice. They could trade Garrett, get under the cap and then eat the ~100M cap hit after 2025, but...that's punting on a couple of seasons. But it would make the most sense and they also deserve it.

 

It's an aggressive idea and I think Gute will make a legitimate effort to make a move, especially if the DL continues to struggle...

 

[BrewerFan]

Ok, after the incredibly long posts that basically just say...Packers would be really good if they traded a lot for Maxx Crosby or Myles Garrett, a more realistic trade if the Packers feel like Quay and Cooper are better as a Sam and a Will, Devin Lloyd makes sense. Jax has young LBers who may be as good as Lloyd(if nothing else, they're younger and the 1-5 Jaguars get more draft picks;

 

Cooper looks like a star just playing free and attacking. A lot has been asked of Quay but they can go play more aggressive and free and Lloyd can take on the blocks and play in the middle. Maybe we find that Quay or Cooper can become edge rushers on 3rd down?

https://www.pff.com/nfl/players/devin-lloyd/58238?season=2023

 

https://www.si.com/nfl/jaguars/news/5-jaguars-who-could-land-on-the-trade-block-01ja47x7hk77

[BrewerFan]

Most realistic option.

38 years old. 4th highest graded DT, Run Grade is 84. The timeless Calais Campbell. The 6'8 315LB DT for the Miami Dolphins who just KEEPS playing at an exceptionally high level. 4th highest-graded IDL behind Dexter Lawrence, Chris Jones, and Cameron Heyward(pretty exclusive group). 

 

He inexplicably signed for just 2M despite NOT having a down season and being better each of the last 4 seasons than Kenny Clark. He helps with so many issues. Pass rush, run defense...very small cap hit, less than 1M at this point. 

Not sure what he'd cost. But again, at 38, he's a notoriously great teammate and person, and if he was 28, he'd be signing a 4-year 120M contract this off-season.

He can also play DE, so we can give his some snaps there as well...

I'm guessing a team like Baltimore jumps on him, a team that's competitive and that he's familiar with.