The 2023 season has gone a bit off the rails for the Green Bay Packers in recent weeks. They are currently riding a four-game losing streak, which has dropped their record to 2-5 on the season.
The Packers currently aren’t getting the job done on either side of the ball. They rank 21st in points scored and 25th in yardage gained offensively and 20th and 21st respectively in each stat defensively.
With the NFL trade deadline just a day away, it has become clear that the Packers should be sellers this year. They are quickly falling out of the playoff race in the NFC and continuing to evaluate their younger players, seeing who should be part of the core long-term, is the No. 1 goal.
That is partly why edge rusher Preston Smith has been named as a player the Packers should look to trade ahead of the deadline. Turning 31 in November, Smith likely isn’t in the team’s long-term plans and trading him would open up cap space and playing time for younger guys on the roster.
“With a three-game losing streak, the Packers might be thinking about selling before the trade deadline. Smith, a ninth-year veteran with two sacks and 22 total tackles this season, could help many contending teams in need of a productive pass rusher. Trading Smith would give Green Bay a valuable draft pick and more cap space to pay a few pending in-house free agents (such as Rashan Gary). The Packers also have depth at the position thanks to their 2023 first-round pick: rookie edge rusher Lukas Van Ness.” (The post was written prior to Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings and Rashan Gary signing a four-year, $107.5 million extension.)
Smith has been a consistent, productive edge rusher during his tenure in Green Bay, but the time is right to make a trade. Pass rushers are worth a good amount on the trade market and the Packers could certainly use the extra draft capital to continue plugging holes on their roster.
Trading away veterans and opening up playing time for younger players could result in more losses piling up for the Packers. That wouldn’t be the worst thing, as it would put Green Bay in a position to select an elite prospect near the top of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Three of the team’s biggest needs, offensive line, wide receiver and probably a quarterback, could all be had if the Packers finish with a pick near the top five. On the season Smith has 4.0 sacks, nine quarterback hits and two tackles for loss.
