A 6-3 team that came close to the NFC Championship last season might seem like an obvious buyer at the NFL trade deadline.
However, the Green Bay Packers took a different approach, choosing to trade away a player rather than acquire one. They sent veteran pass rusher Preston Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a 2025 seventh-round pick on Tuesday.
Despite Jordan Love’s struggles with consistency and injuries, the Packers are still in playoff contention with a shot at competing for the NFC title come January. It seems, though, that Green Bay is aiming to balance both the present and the future. General Manager Brian Gutekunst highlighted that two young players, Arron Mosby and Brenton Cox Jr., will see more action after Smith’s exit, according to Jason B. Hirschhorn.
What will the Packers’ defense look like by the end of the 2024-25 season? Mosby and Cox must adapt quickly, as Green Bay faces a tough schedule including games against the Bears, 49ers, Dolphins, Lions, and Seahawks. Mosby has so far managed half a sack and two tackles over limited snaps this season, while Cox has yet to take the field in 2024. This move, however, indicates the coaching staff’s confidence in him.
Spotting under-the-radar talent is essential to building a lasting contender, and Gutekunst and his team are betting on Mosby and Cox to step up. Smith, with 2.5 sacks and 19 tackles this season, was affordable at $2 million, but his contract is set to rise sharply next year. With this trade, the Packers are signaling a readiness for change.
Fans may wish the team had taken a more aggressive stance at the trade deadline, but now they’ll need to trust in Mosby and Cox to boost Green Bay’s defensive line. This restructured defense has little time to prepare, with a critical home game against the Bears on Sunday.
