NFL Rumors: Green Bay Packers Might Trade Up In 2018 NFL Draft
Brian Gutekunst took over as general manager of the Green Bay Packers ahead of the NFL offseason. It was a move that surprised Packers’ fans, as Ted Thompson seemed to have full control of making decisions. While Thompson did a solid job during his tenure as GM, Gutekunst has already implemented quite a few changes that fans love.
Soon after taking over the job, Gutekunst promised to be more aggressive in free agency. He has done just that this offseason, signing big names like Jimmy Graham and Muhammad Wilkerson. Gutekunst also went out and signed Tramon Williams, while also bringing back Davon House.
His aggressive approach may not end in free agency. During an interview that was shared on Packers Wire, Gutekunst talked about the potential of trading up in the 2018 NFL Draft.
“I feel really good about how it looks right now, all the different scenarios and situations we’ve gone through. I think we’ll have the ability to go up if we need to, go back if we need to or just stay and pick.”
If the Packers were to trade up, many believe that it would be for a defensive back. Among the names that Green Bay is rumored to be interested in are Derwin James and Minkah Fitzpatrick. Both defensive backs would be major upgrades for the Packers and would help fix the issue in the secondary that defensive coordinator Mike Pettine is going to be tasked with fixing.
Trade talk: Packers might move up for a top-three defensive back https://t.co/nDHSvUAMZY
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) April 23, 2018
There are quite a few teams in the top 10 that could be looking to move down. Chris Ballard and the Indianapolis Colts have been rumored to be interested in trading back for the second time. Green Bay also might be able to strike a deal with the San Francisco 49ers at No. 9 as well.
Needless to say, the 2018 NFL Draft is going to be entertaining for fans. There is the potential for quite a few big moves in the first round and there will be even more moves in the second and third rounds. Green Bay isn’t normally viewed as a team looking to make draft day trades, but that may very well change with Gutekunst in charge.
Aaron Rodgers needs more help around him, which became clear after the Packers missed the playoffs last season. Moving up in the draft to get a true defensive playmaker might be exactly what the doctor ordered.
