The pressure is mounting on the Packers, and the Cleveland Browns seem to be in the infancy of a massive rebuild after trading away Myles Garrett earlier this month.
That combination could be a potent one, and a major chance for general manager Brian Gutekunst and Green Bay to add a significant upgrade on the back end of new coordinator Jonathan Gannon’s defense.
Less than a year after trading two first-round picks for All-Pro Micah Parsons to add one of the game’s premier pass rushers, Gutekunst may have the chance to strike while the iron is hot to make Parsons’ pressures even more impactful down the stretch this season.
Packers urged to trade for Denzel Ward
Over at Bleacher Report, NFL analyst Moe Moton put together a list of potential trades to watch ahead of the trade deadline later this fall, including a blockbuster deal that sends Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward to the Packers.
“This offseason, the Green Bay Packers released cornerback Nate Hobbs one year into his four-year, $48 million contract,” Moton writes for B/R. “And patched up the position by signing Benjamin St-Juste and drafting and in the second and sixth rounds, respectively. Keep in mind that Keisean Nixon six touchdowns and a 105.1 passer rating last season.
“The Packers could significantly upgrade their cornerback unit by acquiring Ward, who’s coming off his third consecutive Pro Bowl campaign. They’ll need the help in pass coverage as three-time All-Pro edge-rusher Micah Parsons works his way back into tip-top game shape from a torn ACL.”
Green Bay clearly recognizes a need at cornerback, not just because it is a premium position, but because the players on the roster are either unproven or have underachieved.
Ward, 29, remains a steady playmaker in the backfield, holding opposing quarterbacks to a meager 89.7 passer rating when throwing at him last season. He could have an impact on improving all three levels of the Packers’ defense if this deal comes to fruition.
Trading for Ward would be the kind of win-now move that a general manager like Gutekunst would make in an effort to build a dominant defense by adding one of the top playmakers at the position.