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It’s not the Packers defense, really, that has been to blame for the disappointing 2-3 record the team has put up this NFL season, especially not this week, when the Packers logged four sacks and yielded only 17 points and 279 yards of offense to the Raiders.
But it is clear that the Packers need help in the defensive backfield, and it is also clear that such help can be found if the Packers were to give up a bit of draft capital between now and the league’s October 31 trade deadline. One team that could be looking to “sell off” defensive parts, according to Bleacher Report, is the Patriots, who have devolved into an ugly 1-4 mess.
And a player who should catch the Packers’ eye: versatile veteran defensive back Jalen Mills, who could help at both cornerback and safety.
“Veteran defensive back Jalen Mills would be a great trade candidate considering he’s only a depth option but performing well when he does see the field,” B/R wrote this week.
“Mills has contributed nine tackles while earning a respectable 75.6 PFF grade this year. He could net the (Patriots) one of the many Day 3 draft picks it will need to overhaul the roster. The Green Bay Packers have some glaring holes within their secondary, and a versatile safety like Mills could help plug a gap for that up-and-coming club.”
Packers Need Depth in Defensive Backfield
Mills certainly would be viewed as expendable by the Patriots, even though New England has struggled with injuries in the defensive backfield all season. It has become clear that the Patriots, who lost their last two games by a combined score of 72-3, do not have a whole lot to play for this year and would do well to cash in veterans for draft picks.
Mills has played 81 snaps this season, just 24% of the Patriots’ total defensive plays. He played 75% of the team’s plays last year and 90% the previous year. When he has played, he has been effective.
The Packers are getting stronger in the defensive backfield, with Rasul Douglas putting forth an excellent season and the team waiting for Jaire Alexander, who missed Weeks 3 and 4 with a back injury to round into form.
Rudy Ford has graded out with a 73.7 at PFF this season, a very good number that has him ranked 19th our of 86 safeties in the league. Still, the Packers are thin behind Ford, who has been dealing with an oblique injury.
Packers Choice: To Trade or Not to Trade?
Probably the bigger question as the Packers head into the bye week is what the team will do in the next three weeks in terms of personnel. Some glaring holes have presented themselves, perhaps much more glaring than the defensive backfield—the offensive line and the receiving corps need some reliable veteran help, for example.
The Packers could easily address both areas with a minor trade in the coming days or weeks. But will they? The team has all its picks going forward, plus a second-rounder coming in from the Jets, which could yet prove to be reasonably high given the Jets’ ups and downs this season. The Packers could deal away late-round picks to improve the team’s chances at a playoff run.
Making the playoffs might be more important to fans, though, than to management, which has always seen this as a rebuilding year focused on the development of Jordan Love. In that context, the Packers want to let their young players be on the field as much as possible, not add veterans who might help a bit while stunting the growth of the young guys.
Still, there is something to be said for winning early, and playoff experience can only help in the long term. Whether the Packers agree on that count remains to be seen.
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