Green Bay Packers star Named in a Controversial Proposed Trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers Ahead of Week 6 Bye
In the second half of their game on September 2 against the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones (33), scores a touchdown. 10, 2023, at Chicago’s Soldier Field.
After a discouraging loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday Night Football, the Green Bay Packers are 2-3 going into their bye week.
With quarterback Jordan Love tossing three interceptions, the Green Bay offense managed just 13 points in the defeat.
The offense’s appearance has gotten worse over the past four weeks.
The team will undoubtedly consider a number of strategies during the bye week to help the offense get going in the direction they had hoped.
Many authors have suggested various trades that could provide some additional assistance based on this idea.
Running back Aaron Jones is one of them; he’s been out with a hamstring injury for three of the previous four games.
Author Austin Krueger recently published an article on Lombardi Avenue in which he makes the suggestion that the Packers might consider cutting ties with Jones, who is most likely not going to play for the team again the following season because the organization won’t pay him.
In exchange for Jones and a draft pick, the Pittsburgh Steelers would send third-year running back Najee Harris and offensive James Daniels to Green Bay, according to Krueger.
The following is how Krueger justifies the deal:.
“Like Green Bay, there were high expectations for the Steelers entering the season, and the offense has largely fallen short of them.
The team has mixed in more Jaylen Warren in 2023 as running back Najee Harris struggles to return to his rookie level of play after nearly two years.
In the days leading up to the deadline, Harris might also be traded.
A new environment and coaching style might be beneficial for the rookie sensation and former Alabama star.
“The team may look to add a dynamic weapon like Jones as fans are calling for offensive coordinator Matt Canada’s dismissal.
Since they are currently 3-2 and in first place in the AFC North, adding Jones could keep them there.
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This logic makes sense in principle, particularly for the Packers.
While Jones’ departure would be devastating in 2023, it is likely that he won’t stay with the team past this season.
It might help to offer some long-term stability at the position to add Harris, who has over 1,000 rushing yards in each of the previous two seasons.
The Drawback of the Packers’ Trade of Aaron Jones for Najee Harris.
As Krueger points out, Harris is experiencing a down year right now.
He’s carried the ball 63 times for 247 yards and no touchdowns in five games. This puts him significantly behind schedule to match the output he displayed in his first two NFL seasons:.
Additionally, even though he is still young and it could be a bad year, running backs in the NFL have a short shelf life. Eddie Lacy’s first two seasons as a running back for the Packers each saw him surpass 1,000 yards, but after that, his output started to decline.
Additionally, the presence of James Daniels makes it uneasy to part with Jones and a draft pick.
PFF rates Daniels’ run blocking grade at 62 points and pass blocking grade at 38 points.
Daniels won’t, in other words, make the Packers’ offensive line better.
It makes sense to address the line problem, but Daniels is not the solution to the Packers’ problems.
The concept makes sense.
The idea of receiving a young running back and offensive lineman in exchange for a player who won’t be on the team next year would be a no-brainer, as painful as trading Jones would be. The issue is that two teams are necessary to complete a trade.
One has to question whether the Steelers would really want to part with two players for a [near] 30-year-old running back who can’t get his hamstring right, on top of all the disadvantages previously mentioned regarding Harris and Daniels.
