As the Green Bay Packers prepare for their Week 3 matchup against the New Orleans Saints, the team’s strengths and weaknesses are beginning to become apparent. It is still early to make definitive declarations, but the signs are there of what’s to come.
Green Bay’s offense has the potential to be high-scoring. They have operated at a high level despite not having their projected starting lineup or top-skill position groupings on the field for a single snap.
Alas, there will be bumps in the road, as we saw in the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Falcons. Defensively, this pass rush is for real as they get after the quarterback relentlessly. However, as we also learned against the Falcons, the run defense remains suspect.
With that in mind, some potential trade targets have emerged for the Packers to target. In the opinion of Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report, three players stand out amongst the rest. The first is another weapon for Jordan Love offensively.
Ballentine suggested Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marquise Brown as a target for Green Bay. No one can blame the team for wanting to develop and see what their young group of pass catchers can do. But, with every passing week, it becomes evident that the NFC North is wide open.
With that in mind, bringing in an established player such as Brown would help elevate this offense to another level. The Packers’ offense is lacking a downfield, big-play threat, which they hope Christian Watson provides when he is healthy. If he can’t, Green Bay should make a call to Arizona.
The second player mentioned would be a blockbuster acquisition. Brian Burns of the Carolina Panthers is going to be the subject of trade rumors all season if a long-term extension isn’t worked out.
Green Bay’s pass rush is much improved this season, but imagine what it would look like pairing Burns with Rashan Gary. That is nightmare fuel for opposing offenses, especially if they can lock both down to long-term deals. The money is much easier to figure out since Preston Smith has an out in his contract that would save the team $10.6 million next year.
Last but not least is defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu of the Philadelphia Eagles. The Packers have to be concerned about their ability to stop the run after being gashed for 211 yards by the Falcons in Week 2.
Help in the defensive line was something many analysts said the Packers needed to address throughout the offseason, but they opted to go young there like everywhere else on the roster. Adding another defensive tackle with some experience could go a long way to improving the team in the present and developing them long-term.
Right now the only established defensive linemen the Packers have is Kenny Clark. He has been great through two weeks but can certainly use some help. Tuipulotu is buried on the Eagles’ depth chart and could be seen as expendable by the team.
