The legal tampering period has begun and free agents are good to ink up contracts starting March 17. Teams with plenty of cap space like the New England Patriots have been on a spending spree, while others are still trying to climb out of cap space hell.
In the land of cheese, the Green Bay Packers surprised many when they brought back Aaron Jones on a reported 4-year, $48 million deal. The assumption had grown that the Packers wouldn't be able to afford Jones, but now he's back. With the Packers still having glaring needs and needing to free up space, here are two trade targets they could consider.
Zach Ertz – TE Philadelphia Eagles
The clock is ticking and with the Eagles insisting that they will not outright release Ertz, it seems as though it's only a matter of time before he's traded elsewhere. Doug Pederson is gone, Carson Wentz is now in Indianapolis, it has been an offseason of change and turnover so far in Philadelphia and Ertz appears to next be in line.
While he only played in 11 games last year and had just 36 catches, the hope is that the gas light isn't on “E” for Ertz and that he just needs a change of scenery entering his age 30 season.
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero has reported Ertz is growing more impatient with the Eagles front office as he awaits a decision.
Eagles "insist" they will not release Zach Ertz; TE "growing increasingly impatient" with team to get a deal done (via @TomPelissero)https://t.co/2sv2UzdUHa pic.twitter.com/mHbEcZruY8
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) March 14, 2021
Ertz would be a great fit in Matt LaFleur's scheme with Aaron Rodgers.
When glancing at the tight end position for Green Bay there's a ton of uncertainty. Robert Tonyan is a restricted free agent, Marcedes Lewis is an unrestricted free agent, Jace Sternberger hasn't been able to stay healthy and Josiah Deguara (third round pick last year) had season ending knee surgery last October. Cue the music for Ertz.
The Packers have long been criticized for not putting enough around Aaron Rodgers. Adding Ertz via a trade would give him another great weapon.
While the exact price for Ertz is unknown, it has been thrown about that the Eagles are looking for a third or fourth round pick. The idea of getting Ertz for a team like the Packers who are poised to win right now, for only a fourth round pick, is more then enticing.
Now the Packers have salary cap issues, so they would likely have to work around some of that to make a deal for Ertz work. But it's worth it if the Packers could get it figured out.
Stephon Gilmore – CB New England Patriots
Outside of Jaire Alexander, the Packers have a glaring need for cornerbacks. Kevin King is a free agent, Josh Jackson was a healthy scratch for most of the second half of the regular season, and we saw in the NFC Championship game just how important it is for the Packers to add another cornerback.
Stephon Gilmore's name has been brought up, more so at the trade deadline last year as a name that could be on the move.
He had a down 2020 season, especially compared to his 2019 Defensive Player of the Year season. While it doesn't appear Gilmore is losing a step, his 2020 season was a head scratcher at times and more than likely an anomaly. It could be another chance for the Packers to strike on a player with an incredible resume (just like Ertz) that is coming off a down season where the asking price may have dipped.
New England is notorious for getting rid of players a year early instead of a year too late. Gilmore could fall into that category.
The asking price would still be steep, likely a second round draft pick with other compensation as well.
His contract certainly factors in and it's another case where Green Bay would have to find ways to make it fit. Quite frankly, just about any move Green Bay makes this offseason they will have to “make it fit,” given their salary cap situation as it currently stands. What they wouldn't have to do is find a way for it to work on the field.
The thought of Jaire Alexander and Stephon Gilmore locking up the outside with Darnell Savage and Adrian Amos roaming the middle all in one secondary is nightmare fuel for an opposing team. It would instantly elevate the Packers to one of the best secondaries in the NFL. They're close right now, but need that last piece.
Is this a likely scenario? That's a big stretch but Gilmore's name was brought up nonstop at the deadline last year so the Patriots have had to have the idea cross their mind. It's worth it for general manager Brian Gutekunst to pick up the phone and at least see what the price would be for Stephon Gilmore.
The Packers are ready to win now and adding established players who have a long track record of success is the way to go if they explore the trade market.
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