This summer, the Green Bay Packers were linked to trades involving superstar edge rushers Maxx Crosby and Myles Garrett. However, both players eventually re-signed on big contracts with their respective teams—Crosby with the Las Vegas Raiders and Garrett with the Cleveland Browns—effectively ending all rumors.
Instead, Green Bay made more modest additions, picking edge rushers Collin Oliver and Barryn Sorrell, as well as interior defensive lineman Warren Brinson. The changes demonstrate the team’s confidence in Jeff Hafley and defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington to develop young players. Still, with a few weeks until camp, General Manager Brian Gutekunst has time to make one final move to bolster the defensive front.
One daring suggestion comes from Bleacher Report’s Mitchell Milani, who compiled a list of significant trade packages to acquire Pittsburgh Steelers pass rusher TJ Watt—his pitch for the Packers would get attention.
Packers receive:
EDGE TJ Watt: Steelers receive
WR Romeo Doubs EDGE Lukas Van Ness: 2026 first-round pick.
2026 third-round pick
TJ Watt is currently in the midst of stalled contract discussions with the Steelers and is expected to seek a new deal that would make him the highest-paid NFL player. If the Packers traded for him, they would have to give up substantial draft capital in addition to negotiating a new contract with the former Defensive Player of the Year.
Romeo Doubs is entering the final year of his rookie contract and will become an unrestricted free agency in 2026. The Packers might have up to five offensive starters available for free agency around that time, and Doubs is unlikely to be one of the top two players they prioritize retaining. Zach Tom and Rasheed Walker should be higher on the list. So, if it appears that keeping Doubs indefinitely will be difficult, it is prudent to examine trade offers. Or, in this scenario, perhaps include him in a trade for a superstar like TJ Watt.
As for Lukas Van Ness, it’s difficult to picture Green Bay moving away from him this early. The Packers used a top-15 pick on him just two years ago, and he should be an important component of their defensive plans for the foreseeable future. He recorded four sacks and 18 pressures as a rookie in 2023, followed by three sacks and 20 pressures in 2024. Still, if he does not make a significant improvement by 2025, he will be dangerously near to a bust.
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