Getty The latest Packers news and rumors could see Jets running back Dalvin Cook join Matt LaFleur's offense in Green Bay.
The Green Bay Packers have seen their running game almost completely dry up over the first half of the 2023 season, and the latest rumors ahead of the NFL trade deadline have them pursuing a four-time Pro Bowler to fix the issue.
According to NFL insider Jay Glazer, the Packers are one of the teams known to be in the market for a running back and are considering options for potentially adding talent to their backfield ahead of the trade deadline at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, October 31.
With that in mind, Justin Melo of The Draft Network identified the Packers as one of the most likely landing spots for New York Jets veteran Dalvin Cook following ESPN’s weekend report that the team is “willing to move” the 28-year-old running back.
“Continuing to remove pressure from [quarterback Jordan] Love’s shoulders makes sense,” Melo wrote. “Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon aren’t currently forming an effective duo. The Packers are averaging a 25th-ranked 88.4 rushing yards per contest. Dillon has been especially disappointing this season, having averaged a career-low 3.1 yards per carry. Cook could enjoy a resurgence next to Jones in Green Bay.”
Packers Could Make Dalvin Cook Trade at Right Price
Running back might not be the biggest problem for the Packers’ current roster, but it would make sense if general manager Brian Gutekunst decided to kick the tires on his options before the trade deadline after how the first half of the season has gone.
The Packers are a bottom-third rushing offense at the season’s midpoint, joining just seven other teams with fewer than 90 rushing yards per game through eight weeks. Aaron Jones’ hamstring injury has been a big part of the problem, but A.J. Dillon’s ineffective running — 3.1 yards per carry on 85 runs — and poor play from the offensive line has kept them chained up in the league’s basement.
With Cook, the Packers would gain another dynamic veteran to split carries with Jones. They watched him rack up 1,100 or more rushing yards in each of the past four seasons with their NFC North rival Minnesota Vikings, and while he has averaged just 2.8 yards per carry in his short time with the Jets, his usage has been wildly inconsistent.
Ultimately, the feasibility of the Packers trading for Cook comes down to the type of compensation the Jets are seeking. Green Bay might be willing to take a chance on Cook and the remainder of his one-year, $7 million contract for a pick swap. For example, they could offer the Jets a 2024 sixth-rounder for Cook and a 2024 seventh. The Jets, however, might prefer only to gain a pick in the exchange.
Packers Explored RB Trade Market Before 2023 Season
This is also not the first time the Packers have expressed interest in acquiring a running back over the past few months. Just before the 53-man roster cutdown in late August, ESPN’s Stephen Holder reported there was “legitimate interest” from the Packers to acquire superstar running back Jonathan Taylor from the Indianapolis Colts.
While Taylor ended up signing an extension with the Colts and the Packers bowed out of the trade conversation before then, Gutekunst has been on the hunt for a running back for at least a few months now. There is absolutely no reason to think he will not explore all of the possibilities ahead of the trade deadline, especially with Dillon performing well below expectations through the first seven games of the season.
There are a few counterpoints to the Packers adding a running back, though. The first is James Robinson, a 1,000-yard rusher in 2020 who just joined their practice squad last week. He has fizzled out in his last few stops, but the Packers might want to try their hand at rediscovering his potential before making a bigger acquisition for the room.
The Packers’ offensive line is also struggling badly enough that another powerhouse running back might make no difference. The worst thing for the Packers would be trading to acquire Cook and not being able to get the most out of him due to their frontlines’ inability to create openings for him. Unless they are confident the issues will resolve themselves on the line, there may be no hope for their run game.