The Green Bay Packers are looking to bounce back after a difficult ending to the 2021 season. After being the favorites in the NFC once again, they were upset by the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Divisional Round, resulting in another season where Super Bowl hopes have gone unrecognized in Green Bay.
The Packers avoided one crisis by resolving Aaron Rodgers' future with the team this offseason, but they couldn't avoid trading star wide receiver Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders, which resulted in Rodgers losing his top target. That will make their goal of winning a Super Bowl in 2022 all the more difficult.
Despite losing Adams, the Packers still have a very deep roster, making them one of the teams to beat in the NFC again. In fact, there are some spots on the roster where they could trade away some of their talent to help address weaker areas of the roster, or accrue some draft picks instead. Here are three players on the Packers that could become trade candidates once training camp starts up.
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Packers training camp trade candidates
3. Randall Cobb
Given what I said about the Packers losing Adams above, it seems a bit peculiar to suggest trading away Randall Cobb, who will probably be one of Rodgers most trusted targets heading into the season. But given all the young talent the Packers are working with at wide receiver, Cobb may end up getting forced off the roster if those young guys are able to put together good training camps.
Cobb had 28 catches for 375 yards and five touchdowns last season, as he was usually Rodgers' fourth or fifth target. With Adams out of the picture, it makes sense to think that Cobb could see an uptick in production, but that may not necessarily be true.
Allen Lazard, 2022 second round draft pick Christian Watson, and free agent addition Sammy Watkins are all locks at wide receiver heading into training camp. Behind them are Cobb, 2021 third round pick Amari Rodgers, and 2022 fourth round pick Romeo Doubs. It's probably too early for the Packers to move Rodgers or Doubs, making Cobb the odd man out.
Moving one of Rodgers' most trusted targets, especially given the lack of talent at wide receiver, many seem foolish, but Cobb isn't getting any younger, and moving him gives the younger Rodgers and Doubs a chance to shine. It may seem counterintuitive, but moving Cobb could be in the cards for Green Bay.
2. Dean Lowry
Dean Lowry has been a solid player throughout his six year career with the Packers so far. He can set the egde in both the run and pass game, and his pass rushing capabilities have improved over the past couple of seasons. Lowry racked up a career high five sacks in 2021, as he's continued to improve with each passing season.
Lowry has the inside track to a starting spot on Green Bay's defensive line, but he could end up getting traded if things don't break his way during training camp. Lowry is set for free agency after the 2022 season, and by trading him now, the Packers would create nearly $6 million in salary cap space.
It's also worth noting that Green Bay could easily replace Lowry with 2022 first round pick Devonte Wyatt. If Wyatt has a good training camp, Lowry's chances of sticking with the team decrease drastically. And even if Wyatt struggles, it may make sense to offload Lowry now while they can given his contract situation and salary cap implications.
1. Jordan Love
With Rodgers and the Packers reaching a massive three-year, $150.8 million extension this offseason, it put Jordan Love's future with the team in serious doubt. The 2020 first round pick finally took the field for the first time last season, and had mixed results during his first NFL action. Despite that, his potential is clear, and a quarterback needy team could look to scoop up Love with Rodgers now under the Packers control for the next few seasons.
Love is clearly Green Bay's most valuable asset, given his immense potential at the most important position in the game of football. The problem is that teams know he isn't a part of their immediate plans given their extension with Rodgers. That decreases his value a bit, but still, the Packers could address a key need or pick up a high draft pick in return for Love.
The most obvious solution would be to build a trade package around Love in return for another wide receiver to help Rodgers out on offense. Green Bay clearly wants to maximize their title window with Rodgers under center, and unfortunately for Love, his presence on the roster isn't going to help the Packers win a Super Bowl in 2022. That makes him their most likely trade candidate for the Packers as they head into training camp.
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