Fans have the right to imagine crazy scenarios ahead of the trade deadline, on November 5. Go through social media timelines and you will see people asking for the Green Bay Packers to trade for players like Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby.

Huge news: That is not happening, guys.

Our exercise here is to understand who are the realistic trade targets. The factors are contract, age, availability in the market. For the Packers, it's important that these players are not overly expensive, but they also need to be an upgrade over what they already have — and that combination is why trades are relatively rare in the NFL.

With all these considerations in mind, there are two players that could really make sense for general manager Brian Gutekunst at the edge rusher position: They are New Orleans Saints' Chase Young and Carolina Panthers' Jadeveon Clowney.

If you think cornerback is more important, we have a fun (and realistic) scenario here too.

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Chase Young, New Orleans Saints

Young is in his third team in the last calendar year, which usually is not a great sign. In last year's deadline, he was traded from the Washington Commanders to the San Francisco 49ers and barely had any impact for the new team. So the Niners allowed him to leave in free agency, and he signed a one-year, $13 million prove-it contract with the Saints.

But he's 25 and has been a fairly productive edge rusher for the Saints, even though the team and the defense haven't been successful. Young has had two sacks and 30 total pressures (Rashan Gary has 18, for example). Young has a 59.2 pass rush grade according to PFF, but his run defense grade is a suspect 49.2.

The financial component is intriguing because the Saints do cap things their own way. It means that $11.405 million of Young's salary was paid in form of a signing bonus, which allowed them to prorate it through five seasons with void years and reduce this year's salary cap.

Therefore, if a team acquired Young at the trade deadline, it would absorb only a part of his $1.125 million base salary. The cap hit for the Packers would be mere $595k. He will reach free agency in 2025.

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Jadeveon Clowney, Carolina Panthers

The other possible edge addition for the Packers is a different type of player. The former first overall pick has never been a great pass rusher, but he is solid in this area and a really good run defender.

This season, Clowney has a 54.0 pass rush grade and a 71.9 run defense grade. He might not fit that much considering that Preston Smith and Lukas Van Ness have kind of been that type as well, but Clowney is a talented piece and the Panthers could be motivated to trade a 31-year-old player considering their roster-building situation. Clowney has had 14 pressures and a sack in 2024.

If the Packers traded for Clowney, they would absorb $1.1 million in remaining salary between base and per-game bonuses. He also has a $8.725 million salary in 2025, $2 million of which are guaranteed.

Packers and Browns can benefit from NFL trade deadline deal that would send former first-round pick to Green Bay

Greg Newsome has been with the Browns since 2021