Packers running back trade options come into focus, with each of their picks in the 2027 draft offering a new path
Green Bay has several picks to work with in 2027, and A to Z Sports’ trade simulator matched each one with a running back.
After the Green Bay Packers mostly solved their offensive line issues, at least in the short term, running back may be the most pressing need on the roster. That’s especially true while Josh Jacobs remains on the NFL Commissioner’s Exempt List — and might face a suspension soon.
A to Z Sports released an NFL trade simulator this week, and one of its tools finds trades for your team based on the value of picks and players. So the idea is simple: for each draft pick the Packers own in 2027, what is the best running back that pick can buy?
Green Bay probably wouldn’t want to spend a lot, because the team still holds Jacobs’ rights. But Jacobs is getting older, and the other options on the roster (MarShawn Lloyd, Kaleb Johnson, Chris Brooks, and Pierre Strong) have not shown they can be long-term answers. Therefore, an investment at the position could make sense in the long run.
Second round: Jonathan Taylor
The Packers don’t have a 2027 first-round pick after the Micah Parsons trade. According to the simulator, their second-round pick could land Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor plus a 2028 sixth-round pick.
Taylor is 27 years old. He was a second-round pick in 2020, in the same round Green Bay selected AJ Dillon, and he has been an elite player. Through five games in 2026, Taylor has 398 rushing yards, a career-low 3.9 yards per carry, and 79.6 yards per game, his worst mark since 2023. He has also scored six touchdowns and caught 13 passes for 106 yards.
The concern is wear and tear, both from his NFL career and his three seasons at Wisconsin. Taylor signed a two-year, $44 million extension with the Colts in August. An acquiring team would pay him around $3.5 million for the rest of 2026, then $16 million in 2027 and $17.98 million in 2028. Nothing beyond 2026 is fully guaranteed, and the 2027 salary only becomes fully guaranteed on Feb. 19. Before that, it is guaranteed for injury only.
Third round: J.K. Dobbins
The third-round pick buys J.K. Dobbins from the Denver Broncos. In this deal, Green Bay sends a 2027 third and receives Dobbins, a 2028 third, and a 2028 fifth.
Teams tend to discount future picks by roughly a round, but getting two 2028 picks plus a running back for one 2027 third is hard to pull off. If Denver accepted it, though, the Packers should take advantage.
Health is the main question with Dobbins. He was playing well last season with 772 yards, four touchdowns, and 5.0 yards per carry before suffering another season-ending injury, which limited him to 10 games. This season, he has 229 yards, 3.6 yards per carry, and one touchdown through five games. That decline is probably why the Broncos would consider a swap of mid-round picks. Green Bay would absorb around $4 million in 2026, and Dobbins has $8 million left in 2027, none of it guaranteed.
Fourth round: Javonte Williams
The fourth-round option is a player who has been excellent since leaving Denver. The Packers would send a 2027 fourth to the Dallas Cowboys for Javonte Williams and a 2028 fifth.
It’s hard to see Dallas agreeing unless the team is in a bad spot in the standings by the trade deadline. Williams signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the Cowboys last year, then a three-year, $24 million extension this offseason. Because of the structure, Green Bay would pay roughly the veteran minimum for the rest of 2026, followed by $7.25 million in 2027 and $8 million in 2028. That’s a reasonable price, and far cheaper than what Jacobs costs.
Williams had 1,201 rushing yards, 11 touchdowns, and 4.8 yards per carry last season. Through five games this year, he has 276 yards, six touchdowns, and 3.7 yards per carry. He hasn’t been as efficient, but he is still a solid running back for the future.
Fifth round: Chase Brown
A fifth-round pick could bring Chase Brown from the Cincinnati Bengals, plus a seventh-round pick. Brown is in the final year of his rookie contract and earned the proven performance escalator, so he would cost about $1.8 million if traded at the deadline.
Brown has lost some work to Samaje Perine. He has 246 yards, one touchdown, and 3.5 yards per carry, his first season under four yards per carry. Last year was his most efficient, with 1,019 rushing yards, six touchdowns, and 4.4 yards per carry.
He isn’t an explosive runner, and he benefits from facing lighter boxes next to an elite quarterback, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins. Still, he is competent, and the price wouldn’t be prohibitive.
Seventh round: Brian Robinson Jr.
The seventh-round pick buys Brian Robinson Jr. from the Atlanta Falcons. Robinson spent his first years with the Washington Commanders, was traded to the San Francisco 49ers last year to back up Christian McCaffrey, and now backs up Bijan Robinson in Atlanta. He has 210 yards on 51 carries (4.1 per carry) and four touchdowns, an impressive total for that workload. He signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal, but his base salary is the veteran minimum, so Green Bay would only absorb the prorated minimum plus per-game active bonuses.
The catch is that the Falcons only carry the two Robinsons on the 53-man roster, with Khalil Herbert and rookie Jam Miller on the practice squad. Moving Brian would leave Atlanta with a hole to fill.
