The first game of the Green Bay Packers’ season was a nightmare. Not only did they lose their first game of the season in heartbreaking fashion to the Philadelphia Eagles, but their new star quarterback, Jordan Love, injured his knee in the dying seconds of the game as he tried to lead a last-second comeback.
In the spring of 2023, MVP and Super Bowl-winning quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, was traded to the New York Jets, after spending a staggering 18 seasons with the Packers. This was the start of a new era for the team, as Love finally had a chance to lead the team. The Packers went into November of 2023 at 2-5, and it seemed as though the team was destined for a rebuild and that the glory years were over. But, they rallied in the second half of the season scraping into the playoffs 9-8 as a wild card.
The seventh-seed Packers went on to humiliate the two-seed Dallas Cowboys, 48-32, led by Love and running back Aaron Jones who combined for six total touchdowns. After this win, the Packers lost their next playoff game to the 49ers, 24-21, in the divisional round. The 49ers would eventually advance all the way to the Super Bowl.
Coming into the 2024-2025 season, the Packers appeared strong, ready to create a new powerhouse with Love. Luckily, despite losing the first game of the season, Love was only diagnosed with a minor MCL sprain, when many feared that he had torn his MCL completely. After fully recovering, he was able to come back in Week 4 of the season. In spite of their Week 1 troubles the Packers now sit at an impressive 5-2. But, the Packers need another piece if they hope to be Super Bowl contenders.
Over the last few weeks, there has been an influx of trades as the trade deadline nears. At this point in the season, teams that are struggling are able to trade good players for young players and early draft picks, while contenders are able to trade for stars that can help them make a run into the playoffs. For example, the Jets traded a conditional 2025 third-round draft pick for All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams, and the Buffalo Bills traded early-round draft picks for Pro Bowl wide receiver Amari Cooper. The Packers are playing great, but they are missing one key piece — here are some players that could solidify them as Super Bowl contenders.
Myles Garrett
Standing at 6’4, 272 pounds, Cleveland Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett is one of the most explosive and powerful defensive ends in the league. The reigning defensive player of the year and five time Pro Bowl player has had a great career, but it has ultimately been wasted in Cleveland. The Browns sit at an abysmal 2-6 this year, and the team is one of the worst in the league and they are looking to rebuild. As mentioned before, they dealt their Pro Bowl wide receiver Amari Cooper, and would be likely to deal their most valuable player to begin a rebuild. He carries a hefty price tag of $25 million a year for the next two years, but if the Packers are able to acquire Garrett, they could cement themselves as one of the best defenses in the league.
Chase Young
While Young is not as dominant as Garrett, he is a great edge rusher who would be a good addition to the team. The #2 overall pick in 2019, Young has not met the lofty expectations that were set for him as he entered the league, but he has proven himself as a good player, achieving 27 pressures this season, more than anyone else on the Packers. Young also only has one year left in his contract, and the Packers would only have to pay him $595,000 for the rest of the year, so he could serve as a rental and they would not have to pay him for the next year. While not as dominant as placekicker Mason Crosby, the slightly younger Young could serve as a relatively inexpensive option to help strengthen the Packers’ defensive line.
Greg Newsome II
The 24-year-old Browns cornerback showed flashes of his potential last year, totaling 49 tackles, 2 interceptions, 0.5 sacks, 14 defended passes and a defensive touchdown. There have been trade rumors regarding Newsome and the Packers for quite some time now, and the trade would make sense for both sides. The Packers currently have the youngest roster in the NFL, with an average player age of 25.11-years-old, and Newsome would be another great, young addition to the team. The Packers need help in their secondary, and a duo of Jaire Alexander and Newsome would be lethal.
Tee Higgins
The Packers have not been able to establish a clear cut wide receiver one in Green Bay, and a great wideout could help develop Love and take the offense to another level. Higgins requested a trade from the Bengals this summer, but the team ultimately decided to franchise tag him and keep him on the team for one more year. In the last season that he was fully healthy, Higgins broke 1,000 yards and scored seven touchdowns, and that was when he was the wide receiver two behind Ja’marr Chase. While Higgins would likely want a large payday, it could be worth it to give Love a top tier wide receiver.
The Packers have rebounded after a rough start to the season, and they look like Super Bowl contenders. Adding just one more key player could be the difference between hoisting the Lombardi Trophy and heartbreak in the playoffs.
