Sometimes, it's unimaginable that elite players at premium positions will eventually get traded by their original teams. Sometimes, though, it's easy to see why the conversation starts. Over the last two weeks, both Micah Parsons and Myles Garrett ended up in situations where the rumors were inevitable.

Stephen Jones, Dallas Cowboys' COO, executive vice president, and director of player personnel, reflected about how tough it might be to build a solid roster when there are too many players getting top money.

"I think that's a balancing act that you always got to look at," Jones said. "Especially when your good, good players get hurt and are not on the field. It totally magnifies the issue if you lose guys like Dak, and Diggs misses games, Zack Martin misses games, and it's going to magnify something like that. You're going to say 'God, are we smart having this much money tied in to the top five to 10 players?'"

Meanwhile, Garrett said he would like to stay in Cleveland, but not for a rebuilding process.

"I want to stay loyal to a team that showed loyalty to me and faith in me by drafting me. But we have to do, at the end of the day, what's best for us," Garrett stressed. "So, if we have that alignment where this is something that is still possible in the near future — winning, going deep in the playoffs, putting a great defense out there. I think that would really keep my mind at rest and keep me settled."

Could the Packers be in these conversations? Well, they have been in the past.

Track record

Back in 2018, the first offseason with Brian Gutekunst as the general manager, the Packers made a real offer to the Oakland Raiders to acquire former NFL Defensive Player of the Year Khalil Mack. The edge defender went to the Chicago Bears for a package that included two first-round picks. You can argue if it was Worth it for the Bears, but Mack did play at a high level in Chicago until being traded again for a second-round pick to the Los Angeles Chargers two years ago.

The Packers have $62.7 million in projected cap space for 2025 and $68.3 million for 2026, and they also have manageable veteran deals where it's possible to open up more space if needed. Green Bay still has all of their high- and mid-round draft picks to offer in an eventual package.

So, the Packers have the money, have the draft capital, and they've shown the willingness to execute this type of deal.

Pros and cons

Getting a player from a premium position with this kind of production could be a game-changer for the Packers. Both are also used to playing in 4-3 defenses, and it's easy how their games would translate to Jeff Hafley's scheme.

On the other hand, there's a reasonable argument that it's not smart to use high draft capital and high cap resources at the same time to get a player. The Bears are a good example. Mack did play at an extremely high level in Chicago, but the lack of high draft picks and cheap talent was costly at some point.

The Packers probably haven't had the production they would like from Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness. The lack of success from first-round picks would favor a different approach if a great opportunity arises. However, Gutekunst would have to compensate for that type of investment elsewhere.

Acquiring a higher volume of picks has been the big secret for the Packers' recent success, and that would be even more important in the case of a blockbuster trade like these.

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