Acme Packing Company
The NFL trade deadline is today at 3 p.m. CT. If the Green Bay Packers want to ensure that they’ll have extra talent on the roster for the second half of the season, it will need to be done by then. After the deadline, players can only be released from NFL active rosters, and every player, including vested veterans, is subject to waivers. Prior to the deadline, only players who had played fewer than vested seasons (excluding 2025) were subject to waivers.
When asked if the Packers need to make a move at the deadline this year, Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur stated, “I don’t think so. Not necessarily,” in his Monday press conference this week. That won’t stop the clamor around the team, as fans seem to want some sort of move done today, whether it’s adding a tight end, defensive tackle or cornerback to the roster.
Let’s walk you through the trade landscape and where the Packers’ roster is currently.
The Packers currently have a 52-man active roster following the release of linebacker Kristian Welch, who was brought up from the practice squad last week to replace fellow linebacker Nick Niemann, who is now on the injured reserve.
New serious injuries on the roster since last week include tight end Tucker Kraft (torn ACL) and cornerback Nate Hobbs (MCL sprain). The Packers worked out both of these positions on Monday, which is irregular, as the team usually has workouts on Tuesday. So, don’t be surprised if they sign a player from one of those two positions after the trade deadline to their practice squad. That would obviously push a practice squadder to the active roster, replacing Welch’s spot.
Green Bay is also dealing with its starting kicker, Brandon McManus, being banged up. Because of McManus’ month-long quad injury, the team is still carrying Lucas Havrisik on the active roster. For what it’s worth, the healthy scratches for the Packers last Sunday were offensive lineman Jacob Monk, offensive lineman Donovan Jennings, defensive tackle Warren Brinson and Havrisik. You’d think that they would be prime candidates to waive if Green Bay added a player via a trade, but they also chose to release Welch, who actually played against the Carolina Panthers, over those four players.
The Packers are down their next two first-round picks due to the Micah Parsons trade. They also traded their 2027 6th-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for offensive Darian Kinnard ahead of the cutdown deadline. 11 picks over two years (5.5 per) is an extremely low amount for general manager Brian Gutekunst, who has turned in 80 draft selections in the eight years (10 per) that he’s had the job in Green Bay.
Over the weekend, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported that the Packers are calling around about...
