The Packers’ trade-deadline shopping list may have changed in a hurry.
Running back has been the obvious need for Green Bay, but after the 45-27 win over the New England Patriots, linebacker suddenly looks like the more urgent problem heading into Tuesday’s deadline.
That issue was already there before kickoff. Edgerrin Cooper is out for the year with a torn Achilles, and Zaire Franklin is still dealing with a shin injury that has sidelined him for several games. That left the Packers with just four available linebackers on the roster: Isaiah McDuffie, Ty’Ron Hopper, Nick Niemann, and Kristian Welch.
Then the game started taking more bodies.
Hopper exited early with a chest injury and was quickly ruled out. Later on, McDuffie also went down. Green Bay got through it, but the cracks in the depth chart were impossible to miss once the injuries started stacking up.
That forced Niemann, who is normally a special teams-only player, into a much bigger defensive role. He held up well enough, but the Patriots went after him and found success, including a 30-yard touchdown from Rhamondre Stevenson. Niemann even earned a game ball for being thrown into the fire on short notice, but the bigger takeaway was what Green Bay looked like when the linebacker room got stretched to the edge.
The encouraging part for the Packers is that both Hopper and McDuffie seem likely to be okay. Still, Sunday offered a clear reminder of how fast a thin position can turn into a real problem. The defense survived with the team already up 17-0, but that kind of cushion won’t always be there.
That’s why linebacker deserves serious attention right alongside running back.
Zaire Franklin is expected back soon, but the Packers showed against New England why they could use another body there, and maybe even a better one. The challenge is finding the right target. The linebacker market is thin, even with someone like Zack Baun possibly being available.
And then there’s the bigger question: should Green Bay be willing to part with draft assets at all? The Packers have battled a rough run of injuries and are trying to navigate what has become the most competitive division in football. They’re 6-3, but they’re also sitting in last place in the NFC North.
Still, the argument for standing pat doesn’t feel especially strong. Sunday’s win showed this team can hang with anyone when it puts together a complete game.
Adding help, especially a player who could stick beyond this season, wouldn’t hurt. At linebacker, it could make a real difference.
In Other News...
Jordan Love Is Giving Packers Fans A Very Familiar Feeling
Jordan Love keeps stacking performances that make the Packers feel like they have seen this movie before, only with a new quarterback in the lead role. In the win over the Patriots, he was efficient, explosive and in command, completing 23 of 29 passes for 372 yards and three touchdowns while adding a rushing score in Green Bays 45-27 victory.
Love said afterward it was among the best games he has played, and the numbers back up the impression. He now leads the league in passing yards and ranks third in touchdowns, which is exactly the kind of early-season production that gets a fan base thinking beyond one good Sunday and toward what this offense might become if it keeps humming. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Offense Exposed A Patriots Weakness Fans Will Love
The Packers left New England with a 45-27 win, and one of the clearest takeaways from the game was how often their passing attack forced Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez into uncomfortable spots. Green Bays offense kept pressing the issue, and the matchup quickly became a rough one for a player the Patriots count on to anchor the secondary.
Mike Vrabel did not hide his disappointment afterward, publicly saying Gonzalezs performance did not meet the teams expectations while also taking some responsibility for the defenses lack of preparedness. Gonzalez owned his poor outing and said he plans to move on and get ready for the next game, but for the Patriots, the bigger concern is how quickly Green Bay exposed a weakness they could not cover up. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Just Sent A Dangerous Message With More Help Coming
The Packers 45-27 win over the Patriots did more than pad the standings. It offered a reminder that this team can beat you in multiple ways, with Jordan Love steering the offense efficiently and the defense creating repeated problems for New England by forcing four turnovers and getting to the quarterback four times. Evan Williams and Trey Smack were among the players who helped make the afternoon feel like a statement rather than just another regular-season result.
What makes the performance even more interesting is what could still be on the way for Green Bay. The roster already looked capable of dictating games when the offense is rolling and the defense is taking the ball away, and the possibility of another major piece returning only adds to the sense that the Packers are building toward something bigger. For a team that just sent a clear message on the field, the next stretch could say even more. [Read more 🡒]