6 Free-Agent Targets for Green Bay Packers After 2020 NFL Trade Deadline Passes
It seems clear by now the Green Bay Packers could use a win-now move or two aimed at shoring up weak points ahead of the season's second half.
Fun as Aaron Rodgers' revenge tour has been at times, it's clear nothing in the NFC North is a guarantee with the Chicago Bears sitting on a 5-3 record and the Packers losing two of their last three.
That's a 1-2 record for Green Bay since an early Week 5 bye, including a 38-10 blowout at the hands of the playoff-bound Tampa Bay Buccaneers and a six-point loss to the 2-5 Minnesota Vikings. Without the aid of a bye over a nine-game sprint before a potential playoff appearance, bringing in some outside talent makes plenty of sense.
Given the problems for the defensive front seven and at wideout, several free agents come to mind as possible targets.
Marcell Dareus, DL
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A Packers defense playing some uninspired football and missing tackles while coughing up 26.7 points per game could use a jolt.
Maybe that jolt needs to happen on the defensive line alongside Kenny Clark, where Dean Lowry has served as a weak point en route to a 54.0 Pro Football Focus grade.
Marcell Dareus is one of the more notable defensive linemen left on the market, and it couldn't hurt the Packers to bring in the No. 3 pick from the 2011 draft for at least a workout. He's just 30 years old and put up a 62.7 PFF grade for the Jacksonville Jaguars while once again showing plus skills as a run-stopper before landing on injured reserve last season.
Dareus has had issues staying on the field as he's missed games in every season dating back to 2014. But if the Packers can get him in the door for this winter stretch, he might be the boost the entire front seven needs.
Mohamed Sanu, WR
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On paper, the Packers would probably like to add a burner of a wide receiver to stretch the field and make plays, especially with nobody stepping up to help Davante Adams while Allen Lazard missed time.
But when it comes to non-burners, it's hard to ignore the 31-year-old Mohamed Sanu, who was cut by the San Francisco 49ers in early October.
Sanu has had a strange journey since joining the New England Patriots via trade in 2019. He never seemed to fit there, and San Francisco only had him rostered while waiting for other guys to heal. But he's still a proven presence with a 66.2 career catch percentage, and he's averaged 11.2 yards per catch in the NFL.
Sanu could serve as Lazard injury insurance, never mind a third big-bodied option for the Packers to use at least situationally over the season's second half.
That said, the team might have to hurry if it likes the idea. Elsewhere in the NFC North, Detroit had him in for a tryout early this week.
Taylor Gabriel, WR
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But on the speedster slant, it couldn't hurt to mention Taylor Gabriel.
The Chicago Bears cut Gabriel in February. However, it felt more like a move to wiggle out of his two-year deal worth $14 million than a transaction made for performance reasons. He scored four times over nine games last season in an iffy passing attack, averaging 12.2 yards per catch.
Gabriel, owner of a 4.40-second time in the 40-yard dash at his college pro day, averages 12.5 yards per catch for his career and has scored six of his 14 touchdowns over the 2018-19 seasons.
Deployed strategically, the 29-year-old free agent has a skill set that makes him capable of spacing the field for others—at a minimum.
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Donte Moncrief, WR
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Donte Moncrief might not be available to the Packers for much longer.
The New England Patriots just had the veteran in for a workout in the wake of the Julian Edelman knee surgery. So if the Packers have even a slight interest, this week would seem to be prime visit territory.
Moncrief was cut by the New York Jets in early September. Last season, he split eight games between the Carolina Panthers and Pittsburgh Steelers but didn't play much. The high point of his career has been scoring seven times in nine games for the Indianapolis Colts back in 2016.
Overall, he's scored 21 career touchdowns and averages 12.6 yards per catch.
Moncrief is only 27 years old, and his best seasons came in a strong Indianapolis passing attack with Andrew Luck at quarterback. Projecting him to Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers-led attack offers plenty of upside, and he's dangerous enough that he'd help create room for other targets.
Cameron Wake, Edge
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The Packers need a bit of shock defensively to help the unit get right.
Getting back linebacker Christian Kirksey, who's nearing a return from a right shoulder injury, might help some, but adding a versatile veteran couldn't hurt, either.
Cameron Wake comes to mind. The 38-year-old veteran hasn't found a team yet for 2020, but he did have discussions with the Denver Broncos back in September, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Wake spent 2019 playing situationally for a playoff-bound Tennesee Titans team, generating 2.5 sacks and 13 pressures while logging 18 percent of the defense's snaps.
There's no such thing as generating too much pressure in today's NFL, so adding Wake to a unit with just 16 sacks through seven games could provide a boost to the rotation. A veteran coming in with the right attitude could help in the locker room, too.
Earl Thomas, S
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One can't mention a contender pulling off a "rich get richer" move like signing Wake without considering Earl Thomas, right?
Thomas had an ugly split with the Baltimore Ravens after spending a single season there in 2019. But that season was still productive for the 31-year-old safety after injuries limited him to four games the year prior.
With the Ravens, Thomas tallied 49 total tackles with two sacks and two interceptions, plus he only let up 11 completions on 25 targets, good for a 76.7 PFF grade.
There hasn't been much noise on the Thomas front, and safety isn't the biggest problem for the Packers. But at the same time, 2019 first-round pick Darnell Savage has had a brutal time trying to meet expectations, hence his 50.6 PFF grade.
Adding Thomas to the rotation at safety could be a boon that helps mask some of the issues the front seven presents.
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