Green Bay Packers: Trent Murphy addition could change the draft
By Hunter Noll
The Green Bay Packers came into the offseason needing pass rush help. The draft seemed like an obvious solution, but Trent Murphy could change that.
One player isn’t going to be the lone savior of the Green Bay Packers pass rush. Looking at the available free agents this offseason, that’s even more obvious. With that in mind, it’s clear the Packers will look to the 2018 NFL Draft for some help in that area. There is one player though that might make them dial it back: Trent Murphy.
No, I’m not here to sell you on Murphy being the superstar of all superstars as an edge rusher. He is one of the few options that has a firm grasp on stopping the run as well as getting to the quarterback though. At 27, he can be part of a defense for the foreseeable future as well.
The Packers will need to make a splash this free agency when it comes to the pass rush. It doesn’t need to be a massive splash, but they should at least get the water moving. If Green Bay decides to leave all the pressure on rookies to bolster the pass rush, they might be in for a bad time.
More from Green Bay Packers
- Packers may have found Jordan Love a Travis Kelce-type
- 3 underrated moves Green Bay Packers made in 2023 offseason
- NFL Predictions: 5 Teams that will be drafting a quarterback in 2024
- NFL: Predicting the top 5 running attacks for the 2023 season
- Can Green Bay’s defense carry the Packers to the playoffs?
Murphy is an interesting player. His first two seasons were pretty uneventful. He picked up a combined seven sacks and three forced fumbles over 31 games. His run stopping ability made him valuable to the Washington Redskins defense at the time though.
In his third season, Murphy seemed to perfect the bullrush. With it, he found his way to the quarterback much more often. He ended the year with nine sacks and three forced fumbles. Still solid in the run game as well, Murphy went into last season primed for another strong year.
Instead, a suspension and injuries led to him never even seeing the field in the regular season. This could lead to a price reduction for the Stanford product, giving the Packers a cheaper option.
Most importantly though, Murphy could alter their draft plans. Spending one of their first two picks on a pass rusher would still be very much in the cards. However, Murphy could lead to the Packers not needing to focus the majority of the draft on the subject. They’d have more available picks to help bolster their offensive line, running back, tight end, and secondary position.
Next: NFL Free Agency 2018: Dream target for each team
It’s no secret that the Green Bay Packers need help getting to the quarterback. They could also use some help stopping the run though. Trent Murphy might be a start to the answer of both questions. He could also help balance out their draft.