In recent years, the Green Bay Packers’ front office has consistently discussed (and implemented) roster improvements through free agency and trades. In the Brian Gutekunst era, the Packers have shown to be more sellers in the trade market, trading away players like Devante Adams, Aaron Rodgers, and Rasul Douglas when they believed it would benefit them in the future. Those critical roster moves paid off soon, as the Green Bay Packers became the youngest club to win an NFL playoff game in the Super Bowl era, defeating the Dallas Cowboys in a shocking upset in the 2023-24 NFC Wild Card round.
During the 2024 offseason, the Packers added to their young and talented roster with over $100 million in free agent signings and 11 draft picks in the 2024 draft class. General Manager Brian Gutekunst has made it obvious that he will continue to attempt to strengthen the roster in whatever way, but it appears some folks take that idea to the extreme.
Bleacher Report posts a blockbuster trade proposal between Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys.
The Green Bay Packers ended the Dallas Cowboys’ hopeful 12-5 season by defeating the two-seeded Cowboys 48-32 in the 2024 wild card round. During the offseason, the Dallas Cowboys failed to sign any high-quality free agents. Much of this is likely due to the fact that they have numerous star players seeking for extensions in the coming years, which leaves the Cowboys with less money to give young talent.
One of those stars is Ceedee Lamb, a teenage wide receiver from Oklahoma. Lamb accumulated 3.4k receiving yards in his first three years as an NFL wideout, placing him in the top 15 all-time for career starts. With no contract yet signed, trade rumors regarding the desired receiver have begun to circulate, with one gaining a lot of attention from Packers supporters.
“Green Bay Packers: Romeo Doubs or Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, and a second-round pick:
The Green Bay Packers have a bunch of solid receivers, but they’re not great or established. However, in a big year for Jordan Love and his teammates, the team may want to go big with Lamb and sacrifice two of them because they’ve created the depth to make the trade.
Essentially, they’ve become top-heavy. In this situation, we propose that Dallas sign one primary slot guy to more directly replace Lamb (Jayden Reed) and one of two skilled but generally underwhelming outside figures.
All are cheap right now, and the Cowboys would be unwise to pass them up, along with some Day 2 draft money, ahead of such an odd-looking season.” – Brandon Gagnon, Bleacher Report
Three Reasons The Green Bay Packers And Dallas Cowboys Wouldn’t Make a Blockbuster Trade
1. Green Bay Packers’ cap flexibility would disappear.
The Green Bay Packers receiving core has shown to be dynamic and skilled, but it’s difficult to identify a positive as significant as their present price. According to a recent Forbes piece, the Packers receivers have been significantly more productive than their current rookie contracts.
The six receivers that ended the 2023 season on the Packers’ roster earned an average of approximately $8 million combined. Yes, you read that correctly: $8 million combined.
Reed, Doubs, Watson, Dontayvion Wicks, Bo Melton, and Malik Heath combined to catch 221 passes for 2,813 yards (12.7 average) and 27 touchdowns in 2023.- Rob Reischel, Forbes
When the Packers bring in a star like Lamb and are obliged to pay him, the advantage of having the NFL’s cheapest receiving group is lost. The Packers would find offensive production despite cap limits, rather than benefiting from cap flexibility.
2. Dallas Cowboys are unlikely to trade their best offensive player.
For more than a decade, the Dallas Cowboys have been in a win-now attitude, particularly under Dak Prescott. During this period, they have drafted franchise players such as Micah Parsons, Trevon Diggs, and Ceedee Lamb. It is often assumed that teams seek to retain talent acquired through the draft, particularly those who have established themselves to be exceptional players.
A consensus outstanding wideout is not an easy talent to get, and it appears that the Dallas Cowboys are no longer seeking to win a Super Bowl if they trade away a talent like Ceedee Lamb. Not only are you delivering a message to your opponents, but also your fans.
3. The Green Bay Packers-Dallas Cowboys rivalry is in full swing.
The Packers and Cowboys have faced off numerous times in the twenty-first century, including significant matchups and postseason games. During the Aaron Rodgers era, the Packers derailed two Cowboys seasons in the Divisional round of the playoffs, including a historic playoff comeback in 2015. Aaron Rodgers finished his Packers career 2-0 in the playoffs and 6-3 in the regular season versus the Cowboys (6-1 in the last seven). During this time, it became evident that a competition was developing amongst the consistent NFC contenders. However, as the post-Aaron Rodgers era dawned, the future of the rivalry remained uncertain.
Whatever uncertainties remained were resolved when the underdog Green Bay Packers defeated the Dallas Cowboys in the 2024 NFL Playoffs, reigniting both organizations’ rivalry. Now, just months after that playoff loss, it seemed improbable that the Dallas Cowboys would be willing to trade a great player to a team they have grown to despise. A transaction of this magnitude between conference rivals would raise concerns among Cowboys and Packers supporters equally.
Leave a Reply