Should the Packers make a trade for A.J. Green or Emmanuel Sanders?
The Green Bay Packers are finished with the first quarter of the NFL season and up to this point, things have gone better than expected.
Green Bay is sitting in a tie for first place in the NFC North with the Chicago Bears and even though there are still some key questions surrounding the team, there's no doubt it has been a promising start.
Mike Pettine's defense has been a huge catalyst for that and ranks seventh in points allowed, 10th in yards allowed and sixth in turnovers forced. All that is in addition to 12 sacks in four games, with 7.5 coming from Preston Smith and Zadarius Smith.
While free agency isn't always kind to NFL teams, the Packers struck gold. The two Smiths have been dominant and Adrian Amos has also been as good as advertised.
Aaron Rodgers must be thinking, finally, I have a defense I can win with. Yet, you also have to wonder, if this offense really good enough to beat the NFL's elite teams?
That's still an open question. In terms of points and yards, Green Bay is 17th and 20th in the NFL, although Rodgers has been looking more and more comfortable.
However, the turf-toe injury to Davante Adams has highlighted a huge potential weakness and that comes at wide receiver.
Throughout the offseason, fans wanted the Packers to bring in a veteran but the team decided against doing so. But now that the team is 3-1 and some other teams have struggled, the rumor mill is circulating.
Two names that have come to the forefront are A.J. Green of the Bengals and Emmanuel Sanders of the Broncos.
Of course, compensation is key in any trade discussion but both targets seem to make a lot of sense.
Green hasn't played yet this season due to injuries and his health is obviously a key part of the conversation. It's also unclear if the Bengals want to move him, while there has been a lot more whispers of a Sanders trade.
If you simply look at the roster right now, Sanders seems like the best fit.
Even though the former Pro Bowler is coming off an ACL injury, he has 23 receptions for 298 yards and two touchdowns through four games and that's with Joe Flacco at quarterback.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling has taken steps forward this season and has been the No. 2 guy but can he really be the second option for a Super Bowl contender?
That's a big question. He has shown promise, as have others like Geronmio Allison and Jake Kumerow, but after a solid start you have to wonder if those guys are enough?
Jimmy Graham hasn't lived up to the billing and continues to disappoint. Aaron Jones has also struggled and right now, the two playmakers are Rodgers and Adams.
That could certainly be enough to get into the playoffs and maybe even win the NFC North, but it's probably not enough to get this team to the Super Bowl.
Young receivers could continue to develop and the bottom line is that no team is without holes.
But Green Bay needs help on offense and if the price is reasonable, Green and Sanders are two potential acquisitions could make a big impact.
Trading for a veteran receiver sure helped the Dallas Cowboys last season and it's possible adding Sanders or Green could do the same for Green Bay.
Rodgers is running out of time and with this defense, the Packers should push their chips to the middle of the table and upgrade this offense for a playoff run.
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Chris is a sports journalist from Montana and has been blogging about the Packers since 2011. Chris has been a staff writer for CheeseheadTV since 2017 and looks forward to the day when Aaron Rodgers wins his second Super Bowl. Follow him @thepackersguru
Comments (48)
PatrickGB
October 03, 2019 at 11:09 am
The short answer from me is NO. Too expensive, too injured, too late are the longer answers. But it’s nice to think about.
Hematite
October 03, 2019 at 11:15 am
Sanders could be enticing but I agree with Patrick GB.
murf7777
October 03, 2019 at 11:48 am
Being we are mid year, money might not be an issue. We have a very good team and if you give Arod an additional major weapon like A.J. I think you are talking about a team every other team will fear. He is also on the last year of contract so won’t have to take on additional years of salary cap unless we decide to sign him. I’m not an expert at SC but if it makes since go get’em.
KeepErMovin
October 03, 2019 at 12:05 pm
Cap space can be rolled over to the new league year. That will be very important as the salary for the Smiths, Amos, and turner jump up in 2020. GB also has to extend Clark and maybe Bulaga too.
KeepErMovin
October 03, 2019 at 12:05 pm
Cap space can be rolled over to the new league year. That will be very important as the salary for the Smiths, Amos, and turner jump up in 2020. GB also has to extend Clark and maybe Bulaga too.
TarynsEyes
October 03, 2019 at 11:25 am
A move now,if possible, would be a lot less costly and much more beneficial than at the deadline. Many likely believe the offense and it's WR corp will sooner than later come to it's perceived fruition under the MLF scheme. The question is what sooner actually is, this week, next week or 5 weeks, which,unless the Packers go 3-2 and buy time, but a 2-3 or 1-4 simply and more likely has us pining away for next season for the new culture to appear.
I'm in favor of going for Sanders now because the deadline attempt may be closer to this team being dead and therefore moot. But as mentioned, it behooves teams that have players needed by others to hold out until the deadline where they can obviously get more depending on level of playoff contention of the buyer.
Is the run defense hurting us so much that the offense is that proverbial ' one player away ' thinking that can overcome that deficiency or is the run defense truly fixable to make the offense feel more secure in where they are and with who they have.
shmelbs
October 03, 2019 at 02:57 pm
Now I have The Smiths' "How Soon Is Now" going through my head for the rest of the day.
albert999
October 03, 2019 at 11:31 am
I believe the run defense is fixable
Dez Bryant would be cheap and instant plug and play
Sureshot
October 03, 2019 at 11:40 am
If Dez Bryant was still a good WR, he would already be on a roster.
Plus we already have Jimmy Graham as an old and slow receiver
albert999
October 03, 2019 at 11:54 am
I’ll take Dez over Graham and day and he’s still a lot faster and 100% healthy
murf7777
October 03, 2019 at 12:02 pm
I think Dez isn’t on a team yet is because of injury and not yet ready to play.
murf7777
October 03, 2019 at 11:58 am
I agree, very little risk and high end reward. Most don’t agree with us but not much to lose. Sure, he can get an attitude but he knows he is on his last leg so manage him appropriately before Bellichek does.
jannesbjornson
October 03, 2019 at 09:11 pm
Emmanuel would be solid.
TheVOR
October 03, 2019 at 12:29 pm
Can't believe I'm saying it, but Dez Bryant on a 1 year prove it deal would be a low risk high reward proposition IMO.
JonathanSpader
October 03, 2019 at 01:43 pm
Dez is also a prick which isn't good for any locker room.
PackfanNY
October 03, 2019 at 01:27 pm
Dez Bryant has publicly stated, multiple times that he doesn’t want to play for the Packers because of “history”. Whatever that means. I think Gute would like players who want to be here.
murf7777
October 03, 2019 at 11:39 am
If the price is right, no more then 4th round, I’m in favor of gettin samuels as well. I’ve watched him play he is very good. A.J. green for that price would be Hugh. AJ, Adams and MVS would be feared.....He’s a year younger and a TD machine. This could get our O to the top 10. If we can figure out how to stop the run I see our D Top 10. With both being top10 we could do some real damage, a possible deep run into the playoffs.
Sureshot
October 03, 2019 at 11:44 am
I would do the trade for Sanders for the right price (a 4th max) just because we are an injury away to be extremely thin at the WR position.
Roadrunner23
October 03, 2019 at 11:46 am
No
That is all...
stockholder
October 03, 2019 at 11:51 am
Alternative: Deep threat Robbie Anderson would be better.
albert999
October 03, 2019 at 11:55 am
Bring back JORDY
scullyitsme
October 03, 2019 at 01:21 pm
Yes and Yes. Both are better than mvs at this point. Green and Davonte Healthy would scare the crap out of every d coordinator in the league, even if only for a year.
Fire_Gute
October 03, 2019 at 12:11 pm
Aj Green is hurt. This team needs help now to avoid going into a hole that will be hard to climb out of. Having AJ Green hurt and Adams hurt doesn't do us any good. I'm all for any and every deal possible out there, and at this point I really don't care about "overpaying". But Green does not make sense. A real number 2 receiver and a serviceable number 2 MLB is all that is holding this team back right now
Qoojo
October 03, 2019 at 12:14 pm
We will find out Sunday how dire things are as the pack of just-a-guy WRs must step up with Adams out or playing injured. Everyone after Adams, but MVS, has pretty much disappeared under the lights, and at most, only had a flash or two over 4 games.
Given Rodgers' WR trust issues, how much difference will a new WR make? Any WR must be smart to learn the new offense quickly, and be an excellent route runner, otherwise Rodgers won't trust him.
scullyitsme
October 03, 2019 at 12:14 pm
I’m kind of surprised at the lack of support for either. Nothing against mvs but he’s not that guy yet. From a pure football standpoint, hell yes
Lare
October 03, 2019 at 12:55 pm
We keep hearing that Allison & MVS would have more receptions if not for the fact that they have so many "contested catches". IMO, they wouldn't be "contested" if they were really open.
I don't know if Green or Sanders are the answer for the price, but I do think the Packers need another quality receiver.
jww061356
October 03, 2019 at 01:05 pm
I think Emmanuel Sanders or Robbie Anderson would be the answer and here is why: I think MVS could develop into the guy; but we are in a time crunch and may need to move now or be in too deep of a hole to get out of by the time he does. As such, Sanders or Anderson would be a perfect fit; someone to get us through the rest of the year, help teach the young guys, and buy us time to see if we have what we need going forward, or need to target someone high in the 2020 draft or FA next year. Or....maybe one of these guys is a fit and we bring them back affordably. All of these are options; we don't have many right now. It would surprise me if we got by Dallas; but we need to take Detroit seriously, and even if Adams if healthy for them, we need another veteran threat.
Tundraboy
October 03, 2019 at 01:20 pm
A healthy AJ Green like 2 years ago absolutely. injured not so much. Sanders,meh.
PackfanNY
October 03, 2019 at 01:33 pm
The biggest issue on Sunday against the Cowboys is not the wide receiver position. Given that Bulaga and Bakhtiari have been a little banged up the real issue is controlling the Cowboys pass rush Quinn amongst others, and opening some running lanes for Aaron Jones. It also might be useful if we at least slow down Ezekiel Elliot.
jannesbjornson
October 03, 2019 at 09:13 pm
Slide a TE on him and chip him EVERY play. That usually slows them down. Demarcus Lawrence is not as fast.
mrtundra
October 03, 2019 at 02:00 pm
Another WR mentioned in talks of GB trading for is Stefon Diggs from the vikings. Whaddya think of that? Diggs would finally have a QB he could believe in.
JohnnyLogan
October 03, 2019 at 02:58 pm
How is he available?
mrtundra
October 04, 2019 at 09:45 am
Just from his attitude that the vikings are not using him the way he wants them to. He did not show up for practice on Wednesday but did for Thursday. I think he asked for a trade and was turned down. I imagine Diggs wants to play with a good QB, for a change, as well.
albert999
October 03, 2019 at 02:33 pm
Shepherd and Kumerow are gonna really step up this week
PackEyedOptimist
October 03, 2019 at 03:29 pm
Kumerow and Shepherd are not sure things, but I'd definitely wait for any trade until after the two of them are given a chance. They appear to be a poor-man's Nelson and Cobb, but that might be enough, and they already know the system. It might take weeks for any new addition to be able to learn the system and get any meaningful time. With a little luck, Kumerow and Shepherd might actually be pretty GOOD. I think they will be.
Lare
October 03, 2019 at 04:04 pm
We'll never know if LaFleur doesn't play them or Rodgers doesn't throw to them.
albert999
October 03, 2019 at 07:18 pm
That’s true
Doug Niemczynski
October 03, 2019 at 08:29 pm
He wasn't open!!! The defender broke away from him as the ball was being released to MVS.
ThxJackVainisi
October 03, 2019 at 07:11 pm
I would really like to see what Kumerow could do with multiple targets. He's got good size, (I think he) has a knack for getting open, & Rodgers trusts him.
albert999
October 03, 2019 at 07:20 pm
Shep was wide open in the end zone twice last week and Rodgers threw incomplete to gmo and interception to mvs
THROW TO SHEP
The_Justicar
October 03, 2019 at 07:51 pm
Anyone the titans may want to trade that is worth trading for? They would know the system and make it faster for them to contribute.
CoachJV
October 03, 2019 at 08:21 pm
It never ceases to amaze me how people will call for King and Jones to be cut because they're supposedly injury-prone... and complain when we keep them. But then turn right around and want to pick up players with injury prone history and call it an upgrade.
Wow... just Wow...
Doug Niemczynski
October 03, 2019 at 08:31 pm
Emanuel Sanders would be great pickup or even Corey Davis.
albert999
October 03, 2019 at 09:27 pm
Like Corey Davis
Doug Niemczynski
October 03, 2019 at 08:32 pm
Not saying MVS is not a #2 or potential #1. I mean he is ONLY 4 Games into his 2nd year. But, just needs a little more seasoning.
Rak43
October 04, 2019 at 05:11 am
Both would be 1 year rentals as they are both UFA's after the season. Both also have ridiculous cap hits.
Greens cap hit is $15,176,000 and Sanders cap hit is 12,937,500. Gute would need to give up at least a 4th and maybe even a third as well as absorb the cap hit for a short term possibility. Are either of them worth that for 12 more guaranteed games? Because once the seasons over they're going to want to be paid well.
jgando12
October 05, 2019 at 07:58 pm
Any one of those guys would probably walk to Lambeau to leave the exquisite franchises they are with now.
I want the gamer. The guy who gets open.
That’s who 12 will trust.
Doug Niemczynski
October 13, 2019 at 08:23 pm
We need a receiver and a run stuffer. When you have weaknesses on your team they WILL be EXPOSED. The deadline is approaching. This team is too good we have to get it fixed.
It may not show against Detroit but it will against a team very soon and this message board will light up. Gute you have less than 15 days before the trade deadline. Strike while the iron is hot!!!!