The Green Bay Packers have shown some level of interest in Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor ahead of the NFL trade deadline. A Taylor trade would demand high compensation in draft picks, though, and he’s also a high-priced player. That combination makes him a difficult target for any team, but the Packers in particular.

Green Bay doesn’t have to go that far to upgrade its backfield. Several running backs around the league could be available for a much smaller investment, both in draft capital and in salary. Here are three trade targets the Packers could pursue without paying a premium, even though they’re not the premium player Taylor is.

Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans

Titans running back Tony Pollard is in the final year of his three-year contract. The Titans are 1-7 and sit last in the AFC South, so it’s reasonable that Tennessee would consider moving on from him. He’ll be a free agent next offseason anyway.

Pollard is making $7.26 million this season, with a $6.74 million base salary plus $510,000 in per-game roster bonuses. If the Packers acquire him, they would essentially absorb about $4 million in salary for the rest of the year.

That’s a significant number. Therefore, the Packers could try to convince the Titans to keep part of that salary in exchange for a better draft pick. According to the A to Z Sports trade simulator, a fair deal would send a fifth-round pick to Tennessee in exchange for Pollard and a 2027 seventh-round pick. That scenario doesn’t account for the Titans absorbing any of his salary, but it’s still a viable compensation package for Green Bay.

Kimani Vidal, Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers are 0-7, last in the AFC West, and essentially eliminated from playoff contention. They also have a crowded backfield, with former first-round pick Omarion Hampton and Keaton Mitchell ahead of Kimani Vidal on the depth chart.

Vidal is the third-string option, but he’s still a relatively efficient running back. The former sixth-round pick has 29 carries for 132 yards, an average of 4.6 yards per carry. He brings an element of explosiveness the Packers’ offense could use.

The financial side is where this option stands out. Vidal is playing on a one-year deal at essentially the veteran minimum, so Green Bay would absorb a little under $600,000 in salary. He’s not a game-changing player, but the trade simulator indicates a seventh-round pick would be enough to make the deal fair for both sides.

Bam Knight, Arizona Cardinals

Bam Knight has already played for the New York Jets and Detroit Lions, and he’s been with the Arizona Cardinals since 2025. He has 28 carries for 168 yards, good for 6.0 yards per carry this season.

The big aspect is his age and contract. Knight is only 25 and is playing on a deal slightly above the veteran minimum, so his salary would be about $640,000 for Green Bay. Once again, the trade simulator suggests a seventh-round pick would get it done.

Knight isn’t a transformative player either, but he’s been efficient. And because he’s playing for Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur, he already understands the basics of the system. Mike and Matt LaFleur run similar versions of the same offense, which should shorten the learning curve.

The complicating factor is Arizona’s depth. The Cardinals just lost Jeremiyah Love, who is going on injured reserve, and James Conner and Trey Benson are also on IR. That leaves Tyler Allgeier, Evan Hull, and Knight as the active running backs. The Cardinals might prefer to keep Knight simply to have enough bodies at the position.

At 3-5, though, Arizona’s playoff chances aren’t great. The Cardinals could decide to get some draft compensation for Knight and give more playing time to Allgeier, who’s playing well, or test a younger back.

It’s unclear whether a seventh-round pick would be enough to convince Arizona. But if the Cardinals are open to moving on, a Knight trade would give the Packers a depth piece at a low cost, without the draft capital or salary that a Taylor deal would require.