Trading down might be best option for Packers

There are nine days until the NFL Draft, and Green Bay is picking at No. 14, the highest it has been since 2009 when the Packers picked ninth. As weird as it may sound, the Packers best option might be.....to trade down.

There are some players who the Packers need to take at 14, if available. Those players include Ohio State cornerback Denzel Ward, Florida State safety Derwin James and Alabama’s Minkah Fitzpatrick. However, if all three are gone, which is a possibility, trading down might be the best way to go for the Packers.

Now, I don’t think the Packers should trade way down in the first, but if New England is enamored with a quarterback like Lamar Jackson or Mason Rudolph and knows Arizona is interested, Green Bay becomes a logical trade partner. I mention New England because I believe the Patriots know they need the heir apparent to Tom Brady. Same with New Orleans with Drew Brees and Pittsburgh with Ben Roethlisberger. I believe all three will take a quarterback in the draft, and maybe one of those could try to trade up. I will say, that New England is more likely of a trade partner since they have No. 23. If the Saints were to trade up to No. 14, I’d ask for a future first rounder.

If the Packers were to trade down to No. 23, I wonder if they could also get No. 31 if they added a fourth, especially since it is the first pick of the third day and the Patriots do not have one in that round. If not, then I would go for their first second rounder and a 2019 third or fourth or something along those lines. The Patriots have eight picks in this year’s draft, but five of those are in the top 95 and don’t have either a fourth or a fifth.

There are a number of good prospects at positions of need from 20-50, especially at cornerback. If they were to trade down for 23 and 31, they need to take a pass rusher and cornerback with those two selections. Even if they were to deal for 23 and a second rounder, those are the two that need to be addressed.

One player I think they’d look at if trading down is Colorado cornerback Isaiah Oliver. He fits new defensive coordinator Mike Pettine’s scheme perfectly. Oliver excels in man-to-man coverage, which Pettine plays. Despite only intercepting three career passes, he has 29 career pass break-ups, despite only starting one season. His 4.50 40-yard dash is not amazing, but it is solid. The former Colorado Buffaloes cornerback’s size and ball skills are impressive. Oliver had a terrific combine, which helped his cause.

Even though he is a possibility at 14, Boston College edge rusher Harold Landry could even make it to 23 (if they were to trade with New England). There is a solid chance of him being there at 19 if Dallas wanted to trade in front of Baltimore to grab Alabama wide receiver Calvin Ridley after Dez Bryant was recently released. If the Boston College pass rusher is there after the Packers trade down, he should be the pick. He had a tremendous 2016 season, sacking opposing quarterbacks 16.5 times and had 22 tackles for loss. Plagued by an ankle injury, Landry only had five sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss in 2017. If he can return to his 2016 form, he will be a steal for whichever team drafts him.

The (realistic) dream scenario is for the Packers to trade down with New England and Landry falls to 23 and Oliver at 31. Like I said, if Landry goes back to his play from 2016, he will be a steal. And Oliver is a great fit for the defense, and he and King would have the potential to be a very good duo at cornerback for years to come.