Packers mailbag: Edge rusher or cornerback, what should be the priority ahead of the trade deadline
We are days away from the trade deadline, on November 5. So, as you could expect, most of our readers' questions are about potential targets for the Green Bay Packers — cornerbacks and edge rushers are the main point of discussion. But there’s much more to talk about. Therefore, let’s jump right into this week’s […]
We are days away from the trade deadline, on November 5. So, as you could expect, most of our readers' questions are about potential targets for the Green Bay Packers — cornerbacks and edge rushers are the main point of discussion.
But there’s much more to talk about. Therefore, let’s jump right into this week’s version of the Packers Mailbag.
That's a tough one because the Packers split everything. Targets, receptions, red zone targets. I think it will be difficult for Tucker Kraft to keep his touchdown-to-target ratio, so I'm going with Josh Jacobs. He has four so far, three rushing and one receiving (his first NFL career receiving TD), and I expect the Packers to keep feeding him throughout the season.
Not really. First, the Jets are not in selling mode — even though you can argue that they should. General manager Joe Douglas is on the hot seat, so moving pieces for future draft capital doesn't make sense for him. Moreover, the Jets will not trade their starters, Will McDonald and Haason Reddick, and the backups don't move the needle for Green Bay.
Either way, I think the Packers should think long-term here. If they will give up draft compensation for any player, it has to make some sense beyond 2024. That's why I suggested Greg Newsome, even though he hasn't been that good this season. Newsome is young and has the potential to turn his career around within a better situation.
My edge option would be Chase Young, and I've received a lot of pushback from Packers fans arguing that he's lazy and not overly productive. Guys, he has had more pressures in 2024 than Rashan Gary and Preston Smith combined. And he is also fairly young to be a contributor for some years.
My perception is that cornerback is a more pressing need than edge rusher, because Eric Stokes has been bad, for some reason they don't want to play Carrington Valentine, and that combination is forcing the Packers to move Keisean Nixon to the outside and to play Javon Bullard as a slot, which I don't think has been good for what the rookie does well. But on the other hand, Chase Young would be more impactful than Greg Newsome. So it always depends on who's available and at what price.
It doesn't seem like Jaycee Horn is available, and that's because he is the exact type of player a rebuilding team doesn't want to move. He is young, good, and plays at a premium position. I would be comfortable giving up a third-rounder for him, maybe even a second-rounder, even though he will play under a fifth-year option in 2025.
The definition of disappointment is when you expect good things out of something or someone and it doesn't happen. So I'm going with Lukas Van Ness here. He seems to be a talented player and had a pretty solid rookie season. A lot of people, myself included, thought that Jeff Hafley's system would be good for his skillset, but it hasn't happened. Van Ness has been a good run defender, but that's not what you expect from a 12th overall pick.
Regarding the other ones, Eric Stokes was a talented player but it's clear that the injuries have affected him. And Quay Walker is that classic type of overly athletic linebacker that can't really play in the NFL.
I wrote about Greg Newsome here. Regarding Azeez Ojulari, I mentioned him in this article about trade targets, but I don't think he fits the type of edge rusher the Packers tend to like. Ojulari is more of a bender, 250lbs, and Green Bay likes heavier defensive ends. While I do think it's interesting to have different styles, the Packers already feel like Kingsley Enagbare is an outlier and he's ten pounds heavier than Ojulari.
Javon Bullard was playing well as a strong safety. Even though he's not a particularly great coverage safety, he was a good complement to Xavier McKinney and a solid run defender in the box. The main point is that Evan Williams seems to be a better and more complete deep safety, and the Packers lack of depth at corner made Bullard move to the slot.
While Bullard had college experience playing there, I don't feel like it's his best position to play in the NFL. Coverage has been his weak spot, and in the slot he's forced to do it most of the time. That's what has given us a bad taste about his play.
Management is B+, I just won't give them an A because of the first-round picks failures over the last couple of years. The coaching is an A-, because Matt LaFleur and Jeff Hafley have done great, but Rich Bisaccia keeps failing to create a solid unit on special teams. And let's go with B- for the offense with too many mistakes and drops, B- for the defense with good overall play but the lack of edge rush, and C for special teams since it's been better with Brandon McManus.
Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said he won't trade players because 1) he feels like the prices around the deadline are not good enough and 2) it's just how the Saints operate and it seems like they will never rebuild. So I think it would demand real compensation to make this type of move, maybe something like a second-rounder or more. And at that price, Brian Gutekunst will gladly kill the talks.
There are only two edge rushers who make sense for the Packers ahead of the trade deadline
Green Bay could get better acquiring Chase Young or Jadeveon Clowney
