Are The Green Bay Packers Finally Ready To Become Buyers At The Trade Deadline?

The San Francisco 49ers have made the first major splash.

Will the Green Bay Packers make even a ripple?

The 49ers acquired star running back Christian McCaffrey from Carolina on Thursday night for second-, third- and fourth-round draft picks in 2023 and a fifth-round pick in 2024. San Francisco (3-3) sees that the NFC is wide open and opted to go “all in” in its pursuit of a Super Bowl in 2022.

Just four teams in the NFC currently have records above .500. And the four teams that reached the NFC’s divisional playoffs last year — the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco, Tampa Bay and Green Bay — are all just 3-3.

McCaffrey is one of the NFL’s most dynamic running backs and currently ranks fourth in the NFL with 670 yards from scrimmage. Injuries have slowed McCaffrey in recent seasons, but if he stays healthy, he could make the 49ers the team to beat in the NFC.

Now, it will be interesting to see if the Green Bay Packers react before the NFL’s trade deadline arrives on Nov. 1.

Green Bay has lost two straight games to fall to 3-3. The Packers biggest problems have been on offense, where they rank just 24^th in points per game (17.8) and are averaging only 6.2 points in the second half of games.

“I feel like we’ve got everything we need in this locker room,” running back Aaron Jones said this week. “But we’re always hoping for some help.

“We do have all the playmakers we need right here with the guys in this locker room. But upstairs, they do a good job of bringing guys in who come in and help this team out right away.”

Green Bay’s biggest need is at wide receiver, where the Packers have struggled to replace Davante Adams — who was traded to Las Vegas last offseason.

Rookie Romeo Doubs leads Green Bay’s wideouts with 26 catches, but is averaging just 9.0 yards per reception. Allen Lazard has 20 catches and leads the positional group with four touchdown receptions, but his lack of speed is a liability.

Sammy Watkins (hamstring) and Christian Watson (hamstring) have been injured, while veteran Randall Cobb suffered an ankle injury last week that figures to sideline him for several weeks.

Among the wide receivers Green Bay could target are Pittsburgh’s Chase Claypool, Carolina’s DJ Moore, New England’s Nelson Agholor and Jakobi Meyers, and Houston’s Brandin Cooks.

Green Bay general manager Brian Gutekunst has never been a buyer at the NFL trade deadline, even though the Packers have gone 39-10 overall in the last three seasons. In fact, Gutekunst’s only moves at the trade deadline came in 2018 when he chose to be a seller and traded away both safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and running back Ty Montgomery.

With the 2022 Packers struggling — and quarterback Aaron Rodgers nearing the end of his career — is this the year Green Bay finally gets aggressive at the trade deadline?

“Brian and I have had a number of conversations,” Rodgers said on Sunday. “I trust him and his staff. If they feel like they need to add that they will.

“I think there’s enough on this team to be a successful team. There’s the possibility if certain guys emerge of us having a chance to make a run. I know Brian believes the same thing. But if there’s an opportunity, I would expect that Brian will be in the mix.”