Now that the Green Bay Packers have traded Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets, the question remains: what will they do in the upcoming NFL Draft? Thanks to the trade, they now have the 13th overall pick in the draft and an extra second round pick. This will give them three picks in the top 50 and four in the top 100. Last year, Brian Gutekunst used the extra second round pick he had from the Davante Adams trade to move up to take Christian Watson. Is it possible that he will use this year’s extra second round pick in a trade to improve the roster? Maurice Moton of Bleacher Report seems to think it’s a possibility.
The Green Bay Packers Could Trade a Second Round Pick in the NFL Draft for Jerry Jeudy or Courtland Sutton
It is no secret that the Packers need more wide receivers. Furthermore, it is likely that they will look to add a veteran wide receiver somehow. With little cap space remaining, even after the Aaron Rodgers trade, there are not many options for them on the free agent market. Therefore, it is a possibility that they use one of their second round picks to trade for one, as Moton writes:
“General manager Brian Gutekunst should contact the Denver Broncos about the availability of wideouts Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy. Per Mike Klis of 9News, teams have inquired about both receivers. During the draft, Green Bay should make a strong offer with multiple picks, including the No. 42 selection.
“At 6’4″, 216 pounds, Sutton would be a big target who can move the chains, and perhaps Love can feed him more red-zone targets to elevate his touchdown totals. Jeudy can provide speed and inside-outside versatility. He’s coming off his best season with 67 receptions for 972 yards and six touchdowns.”
The Denver Broncos are likely desperate for draft picks after the Russell Wilson fiasco that blew up in their faces last season. A high-round draft pick could be what it takes for them to move one of those receivers. Jeudy’s stats are listed above, but for comparison Sutton had 64 receptions for 829 yards and two touchdowns. Either one of these receivers would have have led the team in receiving yards last season. Either would be a good pick up for the Packers, at least in theory.
What Are the Contract Situations Like?
Now, here is where things could be tricky. Courtland Sutton has three years remaining on his four year $60 million contract. With an average salary near $15 million, he is being paid more than the Packers have been willing to spend on a wide receiver outside of Davante Adams in recent seasons. A trade for him would also eat up most of the Packers’ remaining cap.
For cap purposes, Jeudy would make the most sense for the Packers. He is still on his rookie contract and is due just over $2 million in 2023. As a former first round pick, he also has a fifth-year option worth a little over $12 million that the team could pick up for 2024.
The most cost effective thing for the Packers would be to keep their picks and just go young in their wide receiver room. They could possibly bring back Randall Cobb on a veteran minimum deal, if he was interested, to add some leadership to the position. That being said, Cobb would not be nearly as productive as Jeudy or Sutton. The question, then, is: do the Packers feel like they can really make a playoff push in 2023 or are the committed to simply retooling this year?
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