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The Green Bay Packers have made a decent amount of moves on the waiver wire this season, but they decided to stand pat at the 2021 NFL Trade Deadline, leaving this Packers roster similarly constructed to years past. Their activity, or lack thereof, is courageous, considering that another championship-less trip to the playoffs this year could mean star quarterback Aaron Rodgers' departure from the team.
Contrary to what we wrote in our piece outlining 2 key moves that the Packers should make at the trade deadline in order to contend for a Super Bowl this year, Green Bay decided to not go after any sort of wideout or defensive back, despite the depth issues they've had this year as numerous players have gone down with injuries. Most notably, tight end Robert Tonyan is out for the year with a torn ACL, and Green Bay will have to rely on the aging Marcedes Lewis as their primary weapon at the spot.
According to rumors, they had been looking at New York Giants tight end Evan Engram as a potential, but the buying price was higher than Green Bay believed suitable for a player who hasn't produced quite like the Giants would have hoped by this point in his career. Still, though, it's hard to believe that there wasn't a single decently athletic tight end on the market with a relatively low asking price that the Packers couldn't have benefited from. For that reason, the Packers' biggest mistake at this year's trade deadline was not making a move for a tight end.
Though I wrote in the piece about Green Bay's needs that they should go after a cornerback, their recent defensive showing in their win over the Arizona Cardinals under the bright lights of Thursday Night Football, without Jaire Alexander, certainly may have changed the outlook on their DB group for the playoffs. Still, however, the Packers were just one lucky break away from losing that ballgame as A.J. Green didn't get his head turned around for a potential game-winning touchdown. More cornerback depth is always helpful, but it seems as though Green Bay should be fine there.
As for receiver, I'm still of the opinion that the Packers needed to go out and get a more explosive weapon for the stretch run this season. Davante Adams will be back soon, but even against the Cardinals, none of their receivers were able to consistently get separation, and Aaron Rodgers was forced to attempt difficult checkdown passes through tight windows to just barely keep drives alive on third down. Defenses are going to tighten up everywhere come playoff time, and trading for a receiver who was available, like Brandin Cooks, would have been the kind of move to propel the Packers into being Super Bowl favorites.
There's reason for frustration, but Green Bay fans are certainly used to inactivity at the trade deadline. Plus, this year's team seems to have the least weaknesses for a Packers team in quite some time, and the gripes are relatively minor. We'll see how the season plays out, but, for the sake of Packers fans all around, there will hopefully be a wideout to step up on that crucial fourth down late in the NFC Championship Game.
