GREEN BAY — Brian Gutekunst knew full well that he needed help on the Green Bay Packers offensive line. On Sunday evening, the Packers GM did something about it.

Swinging a deal with the trade-happy defending Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles, Gutekunst acquired offensive tackle Darian Kinnard, one day after the Packers’ preseason finale and roughly 44 hours before the NFL’s Tuesday deadline to trim rosters to 53.

ESPN was first to report the trade, which was confirmed by a league source. ESPN reported that the Packers gave up a 2027 sixth-round pick for Kinnard, whom the Eagles dealt in their third trade of the day on Sunday.

The 25-year-old Kinnard, who was a two-time first-team All-SEC pick and 2021 first-team All-American during his college career at Kentucky, entered the league as a fifth-round pick by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Incredibly, he has been part of the last three Super Bowl champions, having been on the Chiefs’ 53-man roster (but inactive on game day) as a rookie for Kansas City’s Super Bowl LVII win over the Eagles; on the Chiefs’ practice squad during the 2023 season when they beat the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII; and on the Eagles 53-man roster (but a game-day inactive) for their win over the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV back in February.

And how’s this for wild trivia? According to Kinnard’s bio in the Eagles’ media guide, he is related to country music legend Dolly Parton. His aunt is first cousins with Parton, and the two women grew up on the same street.

Kinnard has played in three career regular-season games — one with the Chiefs as a rookie in 2022, and two last year with the Eagles. He never took an offensive snap during his two years in Kansas City, playing six special-teams snaps in his one game for the Chiefs.

Kinnard’s lone career start came in last year’s regular-season finale on Jan. 5, when the Eagles rested their starters a week before beating the Packers in the NFC wild card playoff round. Kinnard was inactive for the Eagles’ 22-10 win that day at Lincoln Financial Field.

The deal with the Eagles came after a training camp in which it became clear that the Packers’ line depth was insufficient.

The top seven up front were clear: Rasheed Walker and Jordan Morgan, who were competing for the starting left tackle job; left guard Aaron Banks; center Elgton Jenkins; right guard Sean Rhyan; right tackle Zach Tom; and rookie second-round pick Anthony Belton.

Presumably, the eighth man is Jacob Monk, a 2024 fifth-round pick who didn’t play a single offensive snap as a rookie last year. With 2024 sixth-round pick Travis Glover on season-ending injured reserve following shoulder surgery, the Packers appeared headed for Tuesday’s final cuts ready to keep Donovan Jennings and Kadeem Telfort as their ninth and 10th linemen.

“The depth right now for us, it’s not where we want it to be,” offensive line coach Luke Butkus confessed on Aug. 17. “I think 31 other teams are saying that same thing.”

Looking ahead to the team’s joint practice with the Seahawks and Saturday’s 20-7 win at Lambeau Field, Butkus added, “A lot of guys have a chance and we’re going to see whether they’re going to step up or not.”

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