The NFL trade deadline has arrived, and the Packers are sitting right in the middle of the same question that always follows them this time of year: will they actually do something?
By 4 p.m. Eastern, every deal has to be done, and a flurry of moves has already hit the league.
Green Bay, though, is still the team everyone is watching. The roster has obvious holes, but the bigger issue is whether any move available now would truly move the needle.
There’s no shortage of places where the Packers could use help. The offensive line could use reinforcements, even with the guard situation starting to settle down.
Running back remains another obvious spot, especially if the goal is to add someone with real burst. And if the rumors are to be believed, Green Bay has been checking in on just about every defensive lineman with a pulse.
But need and impact are two different things.
A running back added behind the current offensive line might not change much at all. The same skepticism hangs over the idea of finding an offensive lineman who would make a meaningful difference.
And then there’s the price tag, which is where the whole thing gets tricky. Jonathan Taylor is the clearest example: he would be a better option than anyone the Packers have now, but the cost to get him out of Indianapolis sounds enormous.
The defensive line might be the cleanest place to find a balance between cost and value, but even there, the Packers would have to think hard about what they’re giving up. They don’t have a first-round pick next year, and Brian Gutekunst has already spoken highly of the 2027 draft class, which lines up with the broader view around the league. Would Green Bay really part with another valuable pick for a short-term fix?
That’s the tension hanging over deadline day for the Packers. They have needs.
No one’s pretending otherwise. The problem is that the kind of move that could address those needs may be too expensive to make.
Sunday’s injury to Josh Jacobs only sharpened the conversation. If the Packers were already open to the idea of adding a running back, his absence gives that idea more oxygen. And if the team is looking for a next step in the backfield, Kaleb Johnson suddenly looks like the obvious name to carry the load.
On the defensive side, Xavier McKinney keeps standing out as a difference-maker. He remains exactly what the Packers need him to be.
There was also a long field-goal march on Sunday that proved useful for Green Bay, though picking the best drive from that game is no easy task. There were plenty of candidates.
Elsewhere around the league, the Jacksonville Jaguars are pushing forward like a team that believes it belongs in the contender conversation. And looking ahead, the Packers’ Thanksgiving Eve matchup with the Rams is starting to look like it could come against a depleted Los Angeles group.
In Other News...
Packers Statement Win Comes With One Immediate Concern
The Packers got the kind of win that can reshape a conversation, rolling past the Patriots 45-27 to move to 6-3 after nine weeks. Green Bay had contributions all over the field, with Matthew Golden and Christian Watson making plays at receiver, Evan Williams helping set the tone on defense and Kaleb Johnson adding to the attack behind Jordan Love.
Jordan Love also kept the offense humming, but the bigger immediate storyline came from the backfield. Josh Jacobs left the game early with a hand injury, and for a team that just delivered a statement performance, the next question is how long it can keep that momentum if one of its most important pieces is suddenly in doubt. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Fans Had Every Reason To Hate How This Call Was Covered
A frustrating sequence in the Packers-Patriots game had Green Bay fans bristling long after the flag was thrown. Packers edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton drew a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty on what looked like light contact with backup quarterback Tommy DeVito, and the call helped keep a New England drive alive at a time when the Packers were trying to stay in control.
The bigger complaint, though, was not just the penalty itself but how it was shown. Broadcasts around the NFL have increasingly left viewers without the replay context they need on controversial calls, and this one fit the pattern too neatly for comfort. When a borderline flag changes field position and the television coverage does not really slow it down for scrutiny, it leaves fans with the same sour feeling and very few answers. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Suddenly Have A Trade Deadline Need Fans Can Actually See
Injuries have left the Packers looking for help on defense, and the trade deadline is suddenly a place where the front office might have to do more than just monitor the market. One name that fits the need is Philadelphia linebacker Zack Baun, a Milwaukee native and former Wisconsin player who has carved out a solid NFL career and would make sense as a plug-in option if Green Bay decides to add experience and versatility to a thin unit.
The appeal is obvious because Baun checks both the football and hometown boxes, but the logistics are still the real question. Green Bay would have to decide whether the price is worth it and whether the timing lines up before the deadline, with no deal confirmed and the Packers still weighing how aggressively to address the hole on defense. [Read more 🡒]