The Green Bay Packers are 6-2 to start the 2024 season, but there is a chance that they will be making some roster moves before the 2024 NFL trade deadline on Tuesday, November 5. General manager Brian Gutekunst may be looking to add for a potential Super Bowl run, but what if they sell off some players instead of buying?
One of the names who could potentially be traded is defensive lineman Preston Smith. This season, he has recorded 16 tackles and 2.5 sacks with the Packers.
Preston Smith One Of 3 Green Bay Packers Players Most Likely To Be Traded At the NFL Trade Deadline
Brian Sampson of dairylandexpress.com believes that three players on the Packers roster could very well be traded at the NFL trade deadline. One of the players who he thinks could be traded is Preston Smith. Sampson said:
“All signs point to Preston Smith as the most likely Packer to be traded before the November 5th deadline. Rumors about Smith’s availability have been swirling for weeks, with NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reporting that interest from opposing teams continues to grow as the deadline approaches.
The Packers will need to weigh a couple of factors before deciding whether to move on from their veteran pass-rusher.
The first hurdle is the salary cap. Smith’s $14.1 million cap hit this season would only shrink by $2.4 million with a trade, meaning there’s no significant relief in the immediate future. However, moving Smith would free up cap space for 2025 and 2026, creating long-term flexibility.
The second question is whether the Packers’ young edge defenders are ready to step up. They have depth at the position, with Kinglsey Enagbare and 2023 first-round pick Lukas Van Ness waiting in the wings. Additionally, players like Aron Mosby and Brenton Cox offer intriguing upside if given more snaps. Trading Smith would put added pressure on this young group to grow up fast.”
It might be the necessary move to trade Preston Smith for the long term. It would also get Lukas Van Ness more reps, considering the fact they used a first-round pick on him a couple of years ago.
Future Contracts
With the possibility of trading Preston Smith, other players on the Packers roster will need to be paid at some point. Kenny Clark and Jordan Love received contract extensions already. A couple of other players who may need contracts down the road are Jayden Reed and Tucker Kraft.
They also signed a couple of free agents this offseason. Two of them were Josh Jacobs and Xavier McKinney. Maybe they could use that extra money in the 2025 offseason to sign another marque-free agent if Smith were to be traded. He is 31 years old and will turn 32 years old on November 17.
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