The Packers are doing what contenders always do this time of year: kicking tires, checking prices and trying to figure out how aggressive they want to be before the NFL trade deadline hits on November 10 at 4:00 pm ET.
Green Bay is also trying to keep its focus on the field with a tough road trip coming up against the New England Patriots, a game that would give the Packers their sixth win of the season.
According to ESPN insider Dan Graziano, the Packers have been poking around at two spots in particular.
“…the Packers have checked in on running backs (Josh Jacobs' situation remains a major question mark) as well as offensive linemen,” reported Graziano on ESPN.com.
That Jacobs note matters. The running back just made his season debut in a win over the Carolina Panthers after being taken off the Commissioner's Exempt list, and he made an immediate impact by scoring a touchdown.
His status has been a moving target because of the legal case that led to the exempt-list placement in the first place. Jacobs pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery and property damage charges tied to an offseason arrest, and the league is still reviewing the matter.
Depending on what the NFL finds, more discipline could still be coming, including a possible suspension. Any games he spent on the exempt list would count toward that suspension.
If Green Bay is looking at the running back market, the biggest name sitting out there is Jonathan Taylor. The Colts have already begun what amounts to a trade deadline fire sale after a rough first half, and Taylor is the headliner.
How far the Packers are willing to go is still the real question. They’re clearly surveying the board, but whether they make a real swing for help at running back - and how much they trust Jacobs’ situation to stabilize - is still to be determined.
In Other News...
Packers Walk Into A Patriots Moment That Will Dominate This Week
The Week 9 trip to New England already had a little extra shine for the Packers, and now it has a broadcast wrinkle to match. Tom Brady is set to call a Patriots game at Gillette Stadium for the first time in his broadcasting career when Green Bay visits Foxborough, adding another layer of attention to a matchup that was already going to draw plenty of eyes.
Brady said he is excited to return to the stadium where so many of his biggest moments unfolded, while Patriots coach Mike Vrabel and others around the organization have been taking stock of the occasion. The conversation around the game has also drifted toward Rob Gronkowskis upcoming Hall of Fame induction, giving this week in Foxborough a distinctly Patriots flavor even before the teams take the field. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Trade Buzz Just Raised The Stakes For This Defense
With the NFL trade deadline drawing near, Green Bay has started to look like a team that could be more than a bystander. The Packers have reason to explore help on defense, especially with Micah Parsons expected back from injury, and the idea of adding another proven edge presence has only sharpened the conversation around how aggressive they want to be.
One name that has surfaced in that discussion is Khalil Mack, a veteran pass rusher who would give Green Bay another disruptive piece if the Chargers decide to listen. Los Angeles has stumbled this season, which only adds to the intrigue around whether a player of Macks caliber could become available, and for the Packers the appeal is obvious: a chance to deepen a defense that could get a lot more dangerous if the right move is made. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Jacobs Puts Packers On Edge As NFL Wait Continues
Josh Jacobs situation has taken another turn as the Packers wait for the NFLs next move. The running back is already back in the middle of a difficult legal and league process after missing six games on the commissioner-exempt list following his May arrest, and recently released police records have now added fresh allegations from three women involving physical and verbal abuse.
For Green Bay, the uncertainty is the real issue. Jacobs has said he believes in his legal defense and expects to stay on the field for the rest of the season, but the NFL investigation is still ongoing, leaving the team to monitor a case that could continue to hang over its backfield. If the league eventually acts, any suspension would likely be applied against the games he has already missed, which only adds another layer to a situation the Packers would rather not have lingering into the stretch run. [Read more 🡒]