Packers’ Josh Jacobs Trade Pitch Only Path to Improving Roster

The Green Bay Packers are not typically involved in blockbuster trades or monster free agency moves because that is simply not how the franchise prefers to operate, though there are exceptions to that rule and one might soon be coming.

Green Bay broke from its modus operandi when it sent two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark to the Dallas Cowboys last August in return for All-Pro pass-rusher Micah Parsons.

But thus far this offseason, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst has reverted to the franchise’s comfort zone of letting players on the verge of big paydays walk, such as wide receiver Romeo Doubs, in favor of a strategy focused on drafting and development.

According to Mike Sando of The Athletic, the Packers have let $97.6 million in player assets depart the organization (2nd in the league) and added just $26.8 million in salary (26th).

“Green Bay didn’t do anything,” one rival executive told Sando while assessing the Packers’ offseason. “They are a team that historically drafts very well. They are really not a player in free agency.”

Sando added his own two cents on the Packers’ prospects to improve before Week 1.

“With no first-round pick because of the Parsons trade, Green Bay has few avenues remaining to make impact additions,” he wrote.

However, one option not broached in The Athletic’s examination of the team’s offseason is the possibility of trading a big-name player for a substantial return ahead of the NFL draft, which begins April 23. One candidate in that regard is running back Josh Jacobs, who is about to enter the third season of his four-year, $48 million contract.

---

Packers’ Top Trade Asset This Offseason Arguably RB Josh Jacobs

John Kosko of Pro Football Focus on March 23 named Jacobs the Packers’ top trade asset.

Green Bay’s offensive approach has, at times, leaned too heavily on the run game. Despite having an elite quarterback, the Packers ranked 12th in early-down run rate in 2025, often prioritizing the ground attack over more efficient passing opportunities.

Jacobs has been highly productive, earning a 91.8 PFF rushing grade since joining the team, which ranks fourth among running backs. Still just 28 years old, he could command significant draft capital if the Packers choose to shift toward a more pass-centric approach.

---

Josh Jacobs Trade May Not Result in Necessary Value to Packers

The pertinent questions for Green Bay are what could the organization viably get back in trade for Jacobs/how much would that help the team fill out other areas of the roster, as well as with whom would it replace its RB1?

On the depth chart behind Jacobs as of early April are Chris Brooks, the oft-injured MarShawn Lloyd and Pierre Strong Jr. Between them they have 187 carries for 909 rushing yards and three TDs. Strong is the only one with any starting experience on his resumé, and he has started exactly one game in his career.

Meanwhile, Jacobs was productive last season with 14 total TDs, though his 4.0 yards per carry average was tied for the second-lowest of his seven-year career. He also battled injury issues down the stretch.

A lack of talent at the RB position in this year’s draft class beyond Jeremiyah Love of Notre Dame could help Jacobs’ market if Green Bay decides to shop him, but it is hard to imagine the Packers can find a suitor willing to pay more than a mid-round pick for a back whose best days will soon be behind him, if they are not already.

Max Dible covers the NFL, NBA and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns. He covered local and statewide news as a reporter for West Hawaii Today and served as news director for BigIslandNow.com and Pacific Media Group’s family of Big Island radio stations before joining Heavy. More about Max Dible