The Green Bay Packers finalized a trade with the New York Giants for cornerback Issac Yiadom on Wednesday.
Coach Matt LaFleur said he was expecting Yiadom to be in Green Bay and practicing with the team on Wednesday.
“A chance to look at somebody else,” LaFleur said. “He’s a big, physical corner. We’ll try to implement him as quickly as possible and get him engrained in what we’re trying to get done. We’ll give him a chance to go out there and compete.”
Yiadom, a third-round pick in 2018, has played in 45 games with 19 starts. He was a 10-game starter for the Giants last season.
The Packers sent 2018 second-round pick Josh Jackson to the Giants in exchange for Yiadom.
The change of scenery could be beneficial for both cornerbacks.
“Josh is a great young man. Certainly, we wish him well,” LaFleur said.
LaFleur mentioned the benefit of Jackson getting an opportunity to compete with Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham in New York.
“It’ll be nice for him. He’ll have a familiar face there in Patrick Graham, the defensive coordinator for the Giants,” LaFleur said. “It’ll be a great opportunity for ‘Jacko’ to get an opportunity to go there and compete.”
Graham was an assistant defensive coach under Mike Pettine in 2018 when Jackson, then a rookie, made 10 starts and played over 700 snaps.
Yiadom will wear No. 24.
The Packers have at least four roster locks at cornerback, and a fifth – rookie Shemar Jean-Charles – is likely to make it. As was the case for Jackson, a roster spot isn’t guaranteed for Yiadom, who has now been traded twice in his first four NFL seasons. He must be impressive during the final few weeks of camp to end up on the 53-man roster.
