This has been one of Brian Gutekunst’s most active season’s during his tenure as GM. So far, the team has brought in veterans at corner (2), edge rusher, and linebacker. While being in on a trade for yet another corner. This activity has led many to believe that a Packers trade is in the works before the deadline in a few weeks. Let’s take a look at a few targets who Gutekunst may be interested in.
Brandin Cooks
Cooks is a perfect Packers target. He has experience in the system. He’s best friends with Randall Cobb, so by the transitive property he’s best friends Aaron Rodgers. He could single handedly fix the Packers’ deep ball problem. And best of all, he would count under $2mm against the cap. Even that number could potentially be reduced by adding void years to the contract.
Really the only problem here would be if the Packers just don’t think they need him. For all his drops, MVS was one of the 5 or 6 best deep threats in the league last season. A team that is already cap strapped this year and next may not want to give away precious draft capital for a player who will need time to develop chemistry with Aaron Rodgers. If this trade did happen, I would suspect that the MVS injury is worse than they’re letting on.
Matt Ioannidis
Ioannidis is the rare player who is ranked in the top 20 at his position (per PFF) while he may not top 3 on his own team. The Washington Football is flush with front four talent but basically nothing else and may look to acquire some draft picks as their season drifts away.
The Packers would have to make the signing work cap wise, likely by extending Ioannidis, but he is the level of player where that would be worth it. He would immediately be the team’s third best pass rusher and would free Kenny Clark up for more one on one matchups in the run game.
Clelin Ferrell
Ferrell is a weird case. He is one of a long line of Raiders first round busts. He was the fourth overall pick just a few years ago and barely has 80 snaps through six games. He would count under $2mm against the cap this season, per Spotrac, and would almost certainly be a better player than Whitney Mercilus is at this point in his career.
That said, my guess is that he would take a high draft pick to acquire so that the Raiders can save some face here and I doubt the Packers will give that up for a potential 4th edge.
Kyle Fuller, Xavien Howard, and Odell Beckham
These three will probably get written about a lot but they’re all pipe dreams. The Packers don’t have close to the amount of cap space to trade for any of them without extending Davante Adams. Don’t get me wrong – that would be great – but there simply isn’t precedence for a third contract extension mid-season from the team.
Will There Be A Packers Trade?
I don’t think they will. I think Gutekunst and Co will be happy picking up veterans here and there to fill holes while keeping every possible bit of draft capital they can. If Rodgers does leave the team this offseason, they’re gonna need it.
Mike Price is a lifelong Packers fan currently living in Utah. You can follow him on twitter at @themikeprice.
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