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Green Bay Packers general manager, Brian Gutekunst, looking on prior to the game against the Detroit Lions on September 7, 2025.
The Green Bay Packers are gearing up for free agency, which begins in less than three weeks.
They have several players that are set to become free agents. Their top needs include cornerback, defensive tackle, and offensive line. It isn’t expected that the Packers will be major players during free agency, but they could pull the trigger on the right deal.
The folks over at Bleacher Report recently proposed one trade scenario for each team. They came up with an interesting one for Green Bay that address one of its biggest roster needs on a low-risk, high-rewards basis.
Green Bay Packers urged to trade for New York Giants CB Deonte Banks
Here are the terms of the suggested trade, with analysis from Alex Ballentine:
Packers Receive: CB Deonte Banks
Giants Receive: 2026 sixth-round pick (No. 200)
The Packers find themselves with little cap room ($1.6 million in the red) and a few key free agents such as Quay Walker and Romeo Doubs to keep around. That doesn’t leave a ton of money to go chase external free agents or trade targets. The Packers aren’t typically one to take those kind of swings anyway. Outside of the big swing on Micah Parsons last season, Green Bay is not typically a loud team this time of year.
So, an under-the-radar trade for a potential diamond in the rough would be a very Packers move at this point. They have a real need at cornerback. They tried several answers on the outside last season and will need to keep looking. Deonte Banks might be a solution. He flashed as a first-round pick in his rookie season in 2023, but has struggled since then. With Jonathan Gannon taking over the defense and John Harbaugh taking over in New York, this would be a good time to see if Banks still fits in the Giants’ plans.
Although they don’t own a first-round pick due to the Parsons trade last year, the Packers have a six selections in this year’s draft. They will also likely get two more seventh-round compensatory picks after losing center Josh Myers (New York Jets) and linebacker Eric Wilson (Minnesota Vikings) last offseason, which would bring their total to eight.
Packers must address CB position in some fashion during offseason
As things stand now, Green Bay has just one cornerback under contract beyond the 2026 season, which is veteran Nate Hobbs. The Packers invested a lot in Hobbs last year, giving him a four-year, $48 million deal, but injuries and poor performance made him a disappointment. His 58.1 coverage grade ranked 75th out of 114 cornerbacks, per Pro Football Focus.
Hobbs isn’t likely going anywhere after getting that big of a contract. The Packers will hope that he has a bounce-back year, but he’s going to need help. Whether it’s via trade, free agency, or the draft, Green Bay will once again need to invest at the cornerback position. Some of the top free agent CBs include Jamel Dean, Jaylon Watson, and Tariq Woolen. Names to keep an eye on in the draft (keeping in mind the Packers don’t have a first-round selection) are Colton Hood, Brandon Cisse, and Chris Johnson.
Nick Roesch Nick Roesch covers the NFL for Heavy Sports, with a focus on the Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers, and Los Angeles Chargers. He previously covered the Chiefs for USA TODAY Sports’ Chiefs Wire, and all 32 NFL teams for A to Z Sports. Roesch’s career in sports media spans 10 years. More about Nick Roesch
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