The Green Bay Packers are leaving no stone left unturned as Tuesday’s trade deadline approaches.
Coach Matt LaFleur said Monday that general manager Brian Gutekunst and the team’s front office is “working extremely hard” to find the “right opportunity” in the trade market.
The remark from LaFleur is far from a guarantee that the Packers will make a move, but as Gutekunst often says, roster-building is a 365-day job, and the Packers will explore using any avenue to improve the roster.
Teams have until Tuesday afternoon to complete a trade. The Packers, at 7-1 and in possession of the No. 1 seed in the NFC after eight weeks, are open to adding a player before the deadline. The team has been more open to exploring trades under Gutekunst but also careful about finding the right fit and not overpaying.
It’s possible the Packers could be looking for a tight end to help replace Robert Tonyan, who landed on injured reserve on Monday. Help at receiver, in the defensive front seven or even at cornerback could be other options.
The Packers are legitimate contenders. LaFleur’s team has won seven straight games after stunning the Arizona Cardinals last Thursday night despite missing several key players, and now Gutekunst has had a few extra days to consider his roster and explore the trade market. Making even one savvy move for a cheap veteran could help the Packers keep the No. 1 seed and make a run at the Super Bowl.
The cap is worth considering. The Packers have around $5 million in cap space this year, per Over the Cap, and even less when factoring in the wiggle room each team needs to finish a season. But deals can still get done, especially if the team doing the trading away agrees to pay salary.
The Los Angeles Rams made a big splash Monday by dealing for All-Pro edge rusher Von Miller. Last week, the Cardinals acquired tight end Zach Ertz.
Will Gutekunst have a move to make in response? Or will he stand pat, knowing his roster is about to return several All-Pro players, including Davante Adams and David Bakhtiari as soon as this week and possibly Jaire Alexander and Za’Darius Smith down the road?
Decisions, decisions. The Packers’ search for help has until 3:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday.
