The Green Bay Packers have already significantly shaken up their roster this season.
They have revamped their offensive line after early season struggles, bringing in veterans such as Kevin Zeitler, Laken Tomlinson, and Mekhi Becton. The Packers have also recently had a slew of linebackers in for workouts following the loss of Edgerrin Cooper.
Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated noted that the Packers have embraced becoming a veteran team, putting the youth movement on hold for now. Given that, he believes Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner would be a good fit, who possesses a lot of similarities to Josh Jacobs.
"At 6-foot-1 and 233 pounds, Conner fits the big-guy mold the Packers have typically preferred. Jacobs is one of the best dirty-work runners in the NFL. Block a play for 2 yards, Jacobs is going to fight for 2 or 3 more. Conner is that same style of player. In 2024, Jacobs during his blockbuster debut season in Green Bay ranked eighth out of 46 backs who had at least 100 rushing attempts with 3.45 yards after contact per carry, according to Pro Football Focus. Conner was 13th with 3.30. He was 14th in rushing attempts but fourth with 62 forced missed tackles."
Conner is 31 years old and currently on injured reserve, making him the ultimate buy-low candidate. Huber went on to point out that Conner's contract, and the draft capital it would take to acquire him, would be very reasonable.
"The financial price wouldn't be exorbitant; Conner's base salary is $2.355 million; the Packers would only have to pay a prorated portion of that. There also are per-game roster bonuses. The price to make the trade would be low, too, considering that Conner is 31 and coming off an injury that limited him to three games last season."
Conner is in his 10th NFL season after entering the league as a third-round draft pick with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2017. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2018 and 2021. Conner is just two years removed from rushing for over 1,000 yards, which he accomplished in back-to-back seasons in 2023 and 2024. He would instantly be the Packers' most credible RB, and best short-yardage and goal line option .
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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