It doesn’t take all that much mental work to match the Green Bay Packers’ needs this offseason with the Dallas Cowboys’ needs and cook up an NFL draft trade scenario that works for both.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell recently tossed out an intriguing possible deal that could be to each team’s benefit.
In Barnwell’s trade proposal:
The Cowboys get The Packers’ first round draft pick this year (15th overall)
In return, The Packers get The Cowboys’ first-round draft pick this year (26th overall), a second-round draft pick this year, and a fifth-round pick in 2025
Okay…so why so much movement from Dallas to just move up eleven spots in the draft? Because, reportedly, they really, really want Texas Longhorns running back Bijan Robinson and want to make sure he’s still available when they get their pick.
The Cowboys front office is very high on Robinson’s ability to become an impact player in the NFL and having a Texas star stay in Texas is also an attractive byproduct of acquiring the highly-regarded prospect.
Although they already have a young, high-end running back in the person of Tony Pollard, who is unanimously regarded as one of the best in the league, the Cowboys would draft Robinson as the running back of the future and protection against injury or free agency issues in the future. The addition would also give the team a two-pronged offensive attack on the ground. Dallas has a history of valuing running backs in the draft and would be acting true to pattern if they grab at Robinson.
The Packers, meanwhile, have many holes to fill and could use extra draft picks wherever they can get them. Moving down eleven spots in the draft won’t hurt the value of their first round selection all that much and the addition of a valuable second round pick this year will be most welcomed. The fifth-round pick in 2025 would just be the cherry on top of the proverbial sundae. This deal, combined with what would be expected in the Aaron Rodgers trade to the New York Jets, could give the Packers a sizable haul in this year’s draft.
This particular trade proposal does make some sense since the Packers’ chief needs– tight end, wide receiver, edge rusher, safety, defensive line, backup quarterback– can still be addressed later on in the first round (and well into the third or fourth rounds as well). There will still be quality impact players at those positions when the Packers get around to picking in the 26th spot.
Everyone will know soon enough what happens with the Packers in this year’s NFL Draft.