Since the Green Bay Packers traded away Davante Adams in 2022, the biggest external addition they have made at the position was signing Sammy Watkins for a cheap deal, and he spent less than a full season with the team.

General manager Brian Gutekunst, instead, went the draft route, getting six wide receivers in the draft between 2022 and 2023, plus signing Bo Melton off the Seattle Seahawks' practice squad. They allowed Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Allen Lazard to walk in free agency as well.

And the plan worked out just fine. Even with an offense full of first- and second-year receivers, the Packers were 5th in EPA/play and 6th in DVOA last season, reaching the playoffs despite a bottom-of-the-league defensive performance.

However, there is still a national perception that the Packers could have a top target for Jordan Love. Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon, for example, just suggested the Packers could offer this trade package to the Dallas Cowboys for CeeDee Lamb.

• Romeo Doubs or Christian Watson
• Jayden Reed
• 2nd-round pick

Here's the full explanation:

^{"The Green Bay Packers have a lot of good, though not great or well-established receivers. But in a huge year for Jordan Love and Co., the team might want to go bold with Lamb and sacrifice two of them because they've established the depth necessary to afford that swap.}

^{Essentially, they have become top-heavy.}

^{In this case, we're presenting the idea of Dallas landing one primary slot guy to more directly replace Lamb (Jayden Reed) along with one of two talented but generally disappointing outside figures.}

^{All come cheap right now, and the Cowboys would be foolish to turn away from them as well as some Day 2 draft capital ahead of such an odd-looking season."}

First of all, the value of the trade itself would already be highly questionable for the Packers. Even though Lamb is a great weapon, he's mostly a slot receiver, which limits the ceiling of what Matt LaFleur can do with him. But trading two young and cheap receivers plus a high draft pick would be against every successful part of what Brian Gutekunst has done as a general manager so far.

Trade and money

In a vacuum, a trade like that for the Packers wouldn't be absurd. They would still have Watson or Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks, and Bo Melton, besides CeeDee Lamb. It's more than good enough depth, topped by a great receiver with elite production.

But that wouldn't come without cost, and that's where the trade is bad for Green Bay — and exactly why the Cowboys would be willing to part ways with him.

Lamb would probably demand a salary as high as Justin Jefferson received in his extension with the Minnesota Vikings. Paying something around $35 million per season would hinge the entire roster-construction. It's something you would consider for an elite receiver, but the difference between what the Packers have in Doubs/Watson and Reed isn't that big to justify so much money invested in it.

If the Packers find a top receiver in the draft, it's smart to pay and keep him around. But the combination of a huge trade package and a top salary for an external addition is a move Gutekunst would probably never execute.

Young WR keeps making wild plays after a breakout moment for the Packers

He has a special opportunity ahead