Packers' Top Trade Targets Entering 2021 NFL Offseason

The Green Bay Packers need to make a few tweaks to their roster to ensure they remain atop the NFC North and as one of the top contenders to qualify for the Super Bowl out of the NFC.

If the Packers pursue the trade market, they could find some value in wide outs to bring in extra weapons behind Davante Adams on the depth chart. 

Defensively, the Packers need to bring in more help alongside Kenny Clark in the pass-rush. Only two players had five or more sacks during the 2020 season. 

If Green Bay makes the right additions, it could land a second straight spot in the NFC Championship Game and potentially challenge Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers more. 

Alshon Jeffery

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You can't blame Green Bay if it chooses to approach the free-agent market for wide receivers with so many players available. 

If the Packers are not able to beat out other bidders for Allen Robinson and others, they could go for a veteran presence to pair with Davante Adams. 

Alshon Jeffery should be made available by the Philadelphia Eagles, as they attempt to restructure their salary cap situation. 

Jeffery is owed a base salary of $1,075,000 for the 2021 season and he has a much larger number attached to his deal in 2022. 

The Packers already have two speedsters in Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Allen Lazard to complement Adams, so it would make sense for the NFC North champion to go after a more physical presence. 

Jeffery experienced a few injury-ridden seasons in Philadelphia, so he should not command a massive return haul.

If the Packers are willing to part with one or two third-day draft picks, they could take a risk on the 30-year-old returning to form with better health. 

Whitney Mercilus

Paul Sancya/Associated Press

The Packers could take advantage of the rebuild in place in Houston to bolster their pass-rush in two areas. 

The first approach to Houston should be for Whitney Mercilus, who has three years left on a four-year, $54 million deal. 

Mercilus is scheduled to make $10.5 million next season, and if he underperforms next season, the Packers could get out of the expensive deal as early as next offseason. 

The 30-year-old has four seasons with seven or more sacks, a total that would have given him the second-highest total on the Green Bay roster in 2020. Za'Darius Smith's 12.5 sacks led the Packers. 

Green Bay could put together a decent package for Mercilus, who might be available at a lower cost if the Texans are willing to clean house. 

The Packers may have to mortgage a few mid-round picks if they like Mercilus, but that will be nothing compared to a potential package Houston would fetch if it dealt quarterback Deshaun Watson. 

J.J. Watt

Eric Christian Smith/Associated Press

Green Bay's home run move would be to bring J.J. Watt back to the state he played college football in. 

Watt may be deemed as the more available Texans defender on the trade market because he has one year remaining on his contract. 

The short length of his current deal could also make Watt more affordable on the trade market, where in past years he might command a slew of picks due to his extra years of contract control. 

Watt would be the perfect pass-rushing complement to Clark on the inside of the defensive line, and he should bring more sacks to that unit. 

Watt has 101 career sacks and is just two seasons removed from a 16-sack campaign. He had 11 take downs in his last two seasons. 

The presence of the 31-year-old alone would give the Packers a more menacing front seven, and it should be one that keeps opposing quarterbacks at bay throughout the regular season. 

If Watt combines well with Clark and others, Green Bay could have the perfect answer to any of the dominant offensive lines in the NFC.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from Pro Football Reference.

Contract information obtained from Spotrac.