The Green Bay Packers are cutting their roster to 80 players before Tuesday’s deadline and are working to make it happen. As ESPN reportsthe club traded offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a seventh-round draft pick.
Van Lanen is a former sixth-round draft pick (No. 214 overall) of the Packers in the 2021 NFL Draft. Not only did he play his college ball at Wisconsin, but the 24-year-old was a true local prospect as a native of Green Bay. Although his NFL career started in his backyard, he will now head to the AFC South to join a rising Jaguars team.
Below, we’ll look to assess this deal for both parties.
Packers: C+
It’s hardly on some of the more seismic moves the Packers have made this offseason, like trading Davante Adams or extending Aaron Rodgers. Still, it’s a savvy move on the organization’s part to get a trump card for a player they were likely going to eliminate now or when they carve out the 53-man roster to start the season. After all, the Packers released Van Lanen last summer as part of their final cuts, and he’s spent most of the year on the practice squad.
The draft selection going to Green Bay is nothing important. With Van Lanen being a former sixth-round pick and not having had much impact in the NFL during his rookie year, the Packers were likely just considering a comparable pick heading to Lambeau Field.
Jaguar: C
It’s a low-risk move for the Jaguars. The only reason they’re just a tick below the Packers in this category is simply due to the unknown end-of-round pick upside rather than the better-known Van Lanen merchandise.
Still, he’s a 6-foot-4, 305-pound young lineman who could be a deep developmental piece for an offensive line tasked with protecting Trevor Lawrence. Van Lanen only played one game last season (Week 16 against the Vikings) and only played one attacking shot, so he’s still a very green player. He does offer some versatility, though, as the Packers listed him as both a tackle and a guard, and he was voted to the All-Big Ten first team in his final season at Wisconsin while playing tackle. left.
Given his build and potential versatility, giving up a seventh round to take a flyer on Van Lanen isn’t the worst idea.
