The Green Bay Packers already had the offensive line and running back spots on their radar ahead of the NFL trade deadline. Now a sequence of injuries has potentially added a surprising position to the list of Packers needs: off-ball linebacker.

Green Bay had lost Edgerrin Cooper for the season with a ruptured Achilles. Linebacker Zaire Franklin has also missed the past few games with a shin injury. Then, during the Packers’ 45-27 win over the New England Patriots on Sunday, Ty’Ron Hopper left with a chest injury and was ruled out during the matchup.

That forced the Packers to keep leaning on Isaiah McDuffie, who has played at a good level, and to give a lot of defensive snaps to Nick Niemann at linebacker. Niemann is a solid special teamer, but he was a liability on defense. Kristian Welch is also on the 53-man roster, but the depth chart is getting thin in a hurry.

If Franklin doesn’t get back fairly soon, or if Hopper misses extended time with his chest injury, the Packers should absolutely look at trade possibilities ahead of Tuesday’s deadline.

The most obvious target

Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun is the first name that stands out. Baun started his NFL career as an edge defender with the New Orleans Saints, but he found a home as a high-level off-ball linebacker in Philadelphia.

The interesting aspect is how the Eagles structure contracts. For any acquiring team, Baun’s salary is essentially a veteran minimum, and his 2027 contract isn’t guaranteed. For Green Bay, that would work as a low-cost audition in 2026 and then a team option for 2027. His 2027 salary is slated to be $17 million.

That structure gives the Packers flexibility. If Baun fits, they can keep him. If not, they can move on without dead money hanging over the roster. The big question is how much Eagles general manager Howie Roseman would want as trade compensation.

Other options on the market

Bond isn’t the only possibility. The Tennessee Titans have Cody Barton potentially available in a trade.

The Los Angeles Chargers have Daiyan Henley, even though Los Angeles hasn’t shown a willingness to trade veterans despite opening the season with eight consecutive losses. The Pittsburgh Steelers could also move Cole Holcomb, who has lost snaps over the past few games.

All of those are paths for the Packers if they want to explore the linebacker market. The decision is around how much Green Bay actually wants to invest in the position.

How far will Gutekunst go?

Off-ball linebacker isn’t a premium position, and it isn’t a long-term need for the roster. General manager Brian Gutekunst also tends to be careful with trades for veterans. The combination of draft compensation and the salary those players carry can be damaging to some extent, and he has historically avoided paying both prices at once.

Still, the math changes when the cost is low. If a deal doesn’t require significant draft compensation and the salary isn’t prohibitive, it’s certainly a move the Packers could explore. Baun’s contract, in particular, checks the box.

Franklin isn’t expected to be out for an extended period of time, though, which lowers the urgency. But the past few weeks showed how quickly the depth can disappear, and Niemann’s snaps on defense against the Patriots are a reminder of what the fallback looks like.

The Packers have already explored the market for offensive linemen and running backs. Linebacker depth now has a real case to join that list before Tuesday.