The Packers are heading into 2026 with pressure hanging over everything they do. Green Bay has to win the NFC North this fall, or at least make a real playoff push as a wild card team, if this regime is going to feel secure. Another plain, middle-tier season could trigger major changes once the year is over.
That urgency is part of why the Packers could be a team to watch at the deadline. They already showed last season that they’re willing to push chips in by adding Micah Parsons, and they could always use that same approach again if they want to strengthen the roster for a postseason run.
If Green Bay does decide to shuffle pieces, three players stand out as sneaky trade candidates.
Luke Musgrave is the most intriguing name of the group. The Packers clearly had big hopes for him when they took him in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, but he still hasn’t developed into the kind of elite receiving tight end they were hoping for.
A lot of that comes back to Tucker Kraft. Green Bay grabbed Kraft one round after Musgrave, and that pick looks brilliant now. Kraft became a major part of the offense in 2024, finishing with 50 catches, 707 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.
Then Kraft tore his ACL in Week 9 against the Panthers, which opened the door for Musgrave to step in and potentially break out. Instead, Musgrave finished the season with just 24 receptions for 252 yards.
After Kraft went down, Musgrave had only 15 catches for 164 yards. That’s not the kind of production that changes the conversation.
Still, Green Bay’s situation makes Musgrave tricky. On paper, the Packers don’t really need him.
But with Kraft working back from a season-ending injury, Musgrave may be more important early in 2026 than he would be later on. That means any trade talk probably wouldn’t heat up until closer to the deadline.
Ty’Ron Hopper is another name worth watching, even if he looks like the clear odd man out in the linebacker room. The coaching change matters here.
Jeff Hafley is out as defensive coordinator, and Jonathan Gannon is now running the defense with a move to a 3-4 front. In that setup, Green Bay only needs two off-ball linebackers in its base defense, and Edgerrin Cooper plus newcomer Zaire Franklin should be the Week 1 starters.
For a moment, Isaiah McDuffie looked like the more obvious trade possibility after posting 92 total tackles in 2025. But the Packers extended McDuffie on Sunday, which makes it clear he’s part of the plan moving forward.
That leaves Hopper sitting fourth on the depth chart with no obvious path to a secure role. He was drafted for Joe Barry’s defense, then found success under Hafley, and both of those systems are different from what Gannon is installing now.
The question is whether Green Bay values him as depth or would rather turn him into future draft capital. If the right offer comes along, a Day 3 pick would be enough to get the Packers’ attention.
Carrington Valentine may be the most controversial name on the list, and he also might be the least likely to move. He projects as a starter in 2026 and could even bring back a compensatory pick depending on how free agency plays out next spring.
The former seventh-round pick has earned his way into a bigger payday, with his salary rising to $3.67 million through the NFL’s proven-performance escalator. But he’s also in the final year of his rookie deal, which gives Green Bay a decision to make: extend him or let him reach free agency.
There are reasons to think the Packers won’t make him a priority. They already have Benjamin St-Juste, rookie Brandon Cisse, Domani Jackson and safety Javon Bullard - who plays plenty of snaps in the nickel - as long-term cornerback pieces. They could also add more help later, though probably not until the 2027 NFL Draft.
Cap space is another issue. Green Bay is on pace to have only $14 million available for the 2027 offseason, which doesn’t leave much room for extensions, especially for players like Valentine.
So if the Packers wind up selling at the deadline, Valentine’s name is going to come up often.
In Other News...
Jordan Love Unexpectedly Became The Center Of Attention At SoFi Stadium
Jordan Love turned up at SoFi Stadium on Saturday for the World Cup match between Spain and Belgium, and the Packers quarterback wound up drawing as much attention as the teams on the field. The crowd had a reaction when he appeared on the stadium screen, but Love seemed to take it in stride while watching the match unfold, a reminder that even away from Lambeau, he can still become the focal point in a big setting.
Spains 2-1 win over Belgium only added to the atmosphere around the night, and the tournament now shifts toward a semifinal against France at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. For Green Bay, the more interesting part may be less about the result than the sight of Love moving comfortably through a major event and not letting the noise around him change the mood. [Read more 🡒]
Packers May Have An Overlooked Line Piece Ready To Matter In 2026
The Packers offensive line is already drawing attention as one of the bigger hinges on their 2026 outlook, and the conversation has started to center on a second-year blocker whose tools fit the kind of interior toughness this group wants to build around. Green Bay likes the way the line is being reshaped, but the units ceiling will depend in part on whether a young lineman with the size and power to stand out can turn those traits into steady production.
Coaches have reason to believe there is more there, even if the next step still has to show up on the field. The appeal is obvious enough: if his development comes as hoped, it would give the Packers another answer up front and help firm up the kind of protection and run-game stability that can lift the whole offense. The only real question is how quickly that promise turns into something the team can count on. [Read more 🡒]