Time is running out and the Green Bay Packers have some important decisions to make. The NFL trade deadline is November 5th. GM Brian Gutekunst has until then to figure out what, if anything, he can do to help improve this team and get them to be elite Super Bowl contenders.

With the NFL Trade Deadline Approaching, the Packers Need to Address This Area: Last Year

A year ago, the Packers situation was drastically different. Instead of being 6-2, the Packers were struggling with a losing record. Jordan Love was playing inconsistently and was struggling to get on the same page with his young receivers. The receivers often ran the wrong route or didn’t run their patterns precisely and the result was inevitable as the team experienced growing pains.

Gutekunst made a move that looked like he was giving up on the current season. He traded veteran cornerback Rasul Douglas to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for draft picks. The surprising play of rookie Carrington Valentine made the trade possible as Gutekunst attempted to get more help to rebuild the team.

The Packers surprised everybody by finishing the season strong. Love and the young receivers and tight ends improved in the second half of the season and the Packers finished 9-8 and made the playoffs. They then beat the Dallas Cowboys handily in the wild card round of the playoffs before losing a close game to the eventual NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers.

This Year’s Situation

The Packers are in the midst of a very tight race in the NFC North right now. With just one game to play before the trade deadline, all four teams in the division have records that are above .500. The Lions lead the division with a 6-1-0 record. The Packers are close behind at 6-2. The Vikings are 5-2 despite dropping their last two games while the Bears are 4-3 after last Sunday’s shocking loss on a Hail Mary on the final play.

While the Lions are the only team in the entire NFC with a better record than the Packers right now, Green Bay is not guaranteed a playoff spot as we approach the halfway mark of the season.

The Packers also face the tougher part of their schedule over their next six games. The Pack will play the Lions twice, the Bears, the 49ers, the Dolphins and the Seahawks in their next six games with a bye week after the first game against Detroit.

With the NFL Trade Deadline Approaching, the Packers Need to Address This Area: What Needs to Be Addressed

The one area that the Packers need to address most heading into the trade deadline this season is edge rusher. Throughout the season, the Packers have not been able to get consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks by just rushing their four defensive linemen.

Through the first eight games of the season, no player on the team has more than three sacks and that is interior defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt.

The two starting edge rushers have been Rashan Gary and Preston Smith. Gary has two sacks while Smith has 2.5.

The backups who see regular playing time in the team’s rotation are Kingsley Enagbare who has 1.5 sacks and Lukas Van Ness who recorded one.

Pro Football Focus has graded the Packers edge rushers poorly. None of them have strong pass rush grades with the highest being under 62. Essentially, this unit is struggling to get pressure on the quarterback. Defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has used exotic and disguised blitz packages to get pressure on the quarterback.

Will Gutekunst seek to add a player at this position at the deadline? Could adding a productive pass rusher help the Packers take another step forward on defense? It wouldn’t be cheap as team’s are always reluctant to part with talented edge rushers.

Other Rumors

There have also been rumors that other teams are interested in Preston Smith which would save the Packers significant dead cap money down the road. However, it would mean a larger role for unproven players like Arron Mosby and Brenton Cox, Jr., who may not be ready for them.

It will be interesting to see if Gutekunst stays put or makes a move at the deadline. Either way, edge rusher is the most likely position for him to address if he does make a trade.

 

 

 

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