Mock Draft Monday: The Trade-Back Sweet Spot for the Packers?
It’s another Mock Draft Monday and this week’s exercise zeroes in on a key question for Packers fans: how far should Green Bay really trade back?
By Newt Westen
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Newt Westen is the Founder of 0-Tech Draft, contributor for The Draft Professor and Lead NFL Draft Analyst for CheeseheadTV.com. He's a lifetime Packers fan and you can follow Newt at @NFLDraft_Westen on X.
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Comments (9)
PhantomII
April 06, 2026 at 10:06 am
AH, YES...trade back for a lower caliber player needing years to come on line...NOPE...we're in a window....BARELY...Time to finish out the OL / DL / DE/OLB / CB's with some quality this draft and next plus some FA's
PackerAaron
April 06, 2026 at 11:07 am
Tell me you don't know how the draft works without telling me you don't know how the draft works...
TruePackerBacker
April 06, 2026 at 01:28 pm
Well, tell us about the draft then since youre the expert.......
Turophile
April 07, 2026 at 12:08 pm
Easy answer IT DEPENDS ON WHO IS THERE.
In this draft, going by draft boards out there (though of course they vary some), I'd look to trade up to the mid 40's for DT/NT Christen Miller. If he is gone by, say pick 45, I abandon that idea and see who is there at 52.
If there is no-one I particularly like there, I'll look to trade back about 10 spots, pick up an extra 4th this year and take someone like OG Rutledge (it doesn't have to be him).
Now you may not agree on the players I mentioned but the point is still valid. Trading down is NOT inherently bad and the same with trading up. You look at who is on the board several picks before yours, try and decide approximately where any guys you are particularly interested in go, make your play and draft.
Moving up costs picks (but the Packers could use one of their many 2027 4ths to move up), just as moving down could give you an extra (for example) 4th this year, which would be very handy.
If you don't know anything about later picks in rounds 4-7 I can see why you are not enthusiastic, but you can get value anywhere. If someone told you that you could get years of starting level play at LT for a 7th rounder (Rasheed Walker) you'd jump at it. Safety Evan Williams (we got in round 4) would be going higher than that in any re-draft.
Everything is situational. You absolutely DO NOT limit yourself by deciding in advance you cannot trade up or trade down, you keep all options open and see how the draft starts falling out.
To answer the original question Newt posed (how far to trade down from pick 52), I'd say a max of 13 or 14 spots, basically the 13th and 14th spots are the top two picks in round three. I'd expect to get an extra high 4th rounder from that - and depending how far down you move, maybe a little more.
Note that if you DO trade down as far as 13 or 14 spots, those two teams that were the top round 3 picks are also picking right at the top of round 4.
PhantomII
April 07, 2026 at 05:33 am
LOL...The draft works FOR you...or against you...just like buying inferior products at walleyworld....WE are in a short window....go get the player you need for OL/ DL or CB=usually move up...if you can...Jefferson to sit next to Davonte when AR was MVP-ing it...that was the trade @20....so yea Super Bowls lost right there. THAT's WHAT I KNOW!!!!WORD
dobber
April 06, 2026 at 10:43 am
Draft the best players you can get.
Sign players for now.
golfpacker61
April 06, 2026 at 11:49 am
Newt, I used to always trade back for more picks and then select a top CB like Igbinosun, Neal, or Muhammed. Lee ran in the low 4.5s so I would put him 4th or 5th of that group. I always look at who the Packers could draft at their biggest needs first, and choose players that could start or contribute alot right away. Because I now think if we could select 1 of Jacas, Dennis-Sutton or Moore in that order, any of the 3 would start and be difference makers in 2026, I now value Edge more than CB.
Were either Jacas or Dennis-Sutton available when you took Moore? I have Moore 3rd because of 1 really good year. Our CB room is still so weak that any of the above CBs could push to start in 2026. Add Charlie Demming and the guy I really like Daylen Everette to potential starters. Any CB we draft early that isn't a Slot I will be happy with. So I like you picking Everette. We need an Edge & a CB with our first 2 picks, even if we trade back.
I am not familiar with Farmer. My favorite O-lineman is Trey Zuhn-Texas A&M, he plays all 5 positions but was All-SEC @ LT & Center last year. So instead of just a OG like Farmer is, Zuhn is like getting 5 players for 1 pick and he could start at Center in 2027 if we move on from Rhyan. Plus we could get him between picks 120 & 150. Logan Taylor is another that can play OT/OG and would be a later round pick.
I have also identified Adam Randall as a RB we should have interest in, and he could be had later too.
Since I don't take a DT early, I always look at Capehart, Zxavier Harris, or Aaron Graves in later rounds.
We need more than one OL in this draft.
TE is a bigger need than advertised. I like Sam Roush, Tanner Kozoil, or Marlin Klein-Michigan in that order. Any would be upgrades on Musgrave because they block better. Musgrave will be gone in 2027.
Stribling would be a great addition to our WR room, but will be drafted before #120. 2 later guys I really like are Eric McCallister-TCU and Sturdivant-Fla. Both are, big, fast, have great hands & high RAS.
Newt, I don't know why you would be against extra draft picks, Gutey sure isn't as evidenced by his last 5 drafts. Since the hit and miss rate is probably around 50%, why wouldn't a team want as many swings of the bat as possible. As you can see, alot of the players above could be had after round 4 so I want extra picks to fill holes and upgrade weaker position groups. The extra picks let me select a TE, RB, 2nd CB, 2-3 OL, maybe a LB. As well as filling our biggest needs. I would be thrilled with 10-11 picks and Gutey would be too.
Let me know what you think of my guys.
Newt Westen
April 06, 2026 at 03:17 pm
Golf,
I’m going to continuously disappoint with a lack trade-backs because I don’t share that philosophy. 🤷🏼♂️
To the players you mentioned:
Moore>Jacas>DDS
Farmer is about 40 spots higher on my board than Zuhn. I would rather get a very talented player with great starter upside at the end of the 3rd instead of a 6th offensive lineman in the 4th. Honestly, J.C. Davis would be a guy I would look to target instead of Zuhn.
I love Graves, but he wasn’t on this MDS. I’m out on Harris early Day 3 and Capehart in the 5th would be great value.
I would love to grab a TE (Roush would be amazing) but do not want to reach on one.
stockholder
April 06, 2026 at 05:33 pm
I wouldn't have traded back.
I did hear they love Moore.
Gute would take Moore at 52.
I'd trade Wicks for an extra pick.
Farmer works for me.
But if you trade a WR. Maybe TE earlier?
I'll take Harris. Love the Attitude.
Capehardt is OK.
But I fear the high pads
and standing up won't work at NT.
They talked to Jackson-
Moore and Jackson? ( 52 and 84 )
I think most would be ok with that.