The NFL trade deadline is set for 3 p.m. CT on Tuesday. The Green Bay Packers sit atop the NFC North at 5-1-2 and should be buyers. Reports indicate that General Manager Brian Gutekunst has conducted an extensive search for potential cornerback acquisitions.
Gutekunst should be scouring the league for available talent. Through eight weeks, Nate Hobbs and Carrington Valentine allowed passer ratings of 127.1 and 115.1, respectively, while Keisean Nixon was tied for the second-most penalties among all defensive backs. The unit has its moments, but the overall product has been lackluster.
The Packers should remain vigilant in monitoring the cornerback market as the deadline approaches. However, the defense arguably has a more pressing need: the interior defensive line.
Green Bay’s opponents have exposed the interior defensive line on two significant occasions this season. The first came on Sunday Night Football against the Dallas Cowboys, when the Packers couldn’t stop anything after Devonte Wyatt went down with a knee injury. Nazir Stackhouse took over for him, and the tape didn’t do him any favors.
The second instance came against the Carolina Panthers, who gashed Green Bay for 163 rushing yards. Rico Dowdle led the way with 130 yards, two touchdowns, and 5.2 yards per carry. To make matters worse, Colby Wooden suffered a shoulder injury, leaving Jeff Hafley’s group thin and overmatched for most of the afternoon.
Green Bay is in a precarious spot with its interior defensive line. Wyatt has been productive but has recently struggled with injuries. Karl Brooks has been a solid rotational pass rusher, yet he hasn’t been much of a factor against the run. Wooden took a noticeable leap in Year 3, but it’s unclear how much time he’ll miss. Beyond them, the only players left are rookies Warren Brinson and Stackhouse. However, Brinson has appeared in just two games this season.
With Wooden injured, the Packers might have to make a move. They can’t afford for Wyatt to suffer another setback because the defense has been substantially worse when he’s not on the field. Hopefully, there should be some notable names available by the deadline.
According to reports, the Packers were one of several teams to call the Tennessee Titans about T’Vondre Sweat. The 362 lb. defensive tackle is much more effective as a run stopper than a pass rusher. He’s appeared in four games this year and has recorded just three pressures. The 1-8 Titans will likely be sellers at the deadline. Still, Green Bay will likely face competition for Sweat and probably doesn’t want to enter a bidding war.
ESPN’s Ben Solak has mentioned another Titans defensive tackle as a possible target for the Green and Gold: Sebastian Joseph-Day.
The Packers are thin on the defensive interior after the departure of Kenny Clark in the Parsons trade, and Wyatt’s injury has served as a stark reminder of that vulnerability. Joseph-Day is a stout run defender on a one-year deal — perfect for patching one of the few remaining holes on a Super Bowl-contending roster.
The Packers came into Week 9 with a top-five run defense, but the Panthers gashed them on Sunday. Furthermore, their second-best interior defensive lineman went down. Depth is razor-thin, and some moves are necessary. You could argue cornerback is the top need, but remember the first two games of the season — those guys held their own when the defensive line was healthy.
It all starts up front. Green Bay is already thin on the interior, and the depth behind it isn’t inspiring. It doesn’t matter who’s playing cornerback — a quarterback with five seconds to throw will always find an open target. The best way for the Packers to improve their defense is through the trenches, and they should have some opportunities to do so by the time the deadline arrives.