Packers' best trade up and trade down options in the first round highlight how wide open their 2025 draft approach may be

The next few weeks are intense for an NFL front office. In addition to finalizing the scouting process, it needs to call around the league and evaluate trade possibilities. Knowing the price range to move up or the gains to trade down is key to the process of making decisions when you are on the clock.

Brian Gutekunst has a track record of doing both things in the first round. In 2018, he moved down and then up to select Jaire Alexander. He also moved up in 2019 for safety Darnell Savage and in 2020 for quarterback Jordan Love.

It always depends on the board. If there's only one player with a first-round grade left on the board and the price is fair, the Packers could move up. If there isn't any or there are several, a move down could be on the table.

Let's evaluate the best potential trade partners on draft night.

Trade up

Miami Dolphins

This would be the most aggressive scenario, because trading up 10 spots in the first round doesn't tend to be cheap. And according to the Jimmy Johnson draft chart, the Packers would have to give up their 1st-, 2nd-, and 5th-round picks to pull the trigger. It's not exactly a likely scenario, unless Brian Gutekunst is really enamored with a prospect. The Packers traded with the Dolphins to take Jordan Love in 2020.

Seattle Seahawks

Gutekunst and Seahawks GM John Schneider are friends from their time together in Green Bay and have a track record of trades on draft night—the Packers traded with the Seahawks when they took Darnell Savage six years ago. Pick 23 and a third-round pick would probably be enough for the Packers to move up to 18. Plus, Seattle is starting a new era with Sam Darnold, so they might be inclined to add picks.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bucs have the 19th pick, and a trade here would allow the Packers to jump the Broncos, Steelers, and Chargers. Green Bay would also send a third-round pick, but could receive a fifth back in the deal.

Trade down

Buffalo Bills

Let's go with the "team trade down" part of this. The Bills are an aggressive team and could be willing to give up picks. The Packers would go down seven spots, but the compensation is real. It would be something around a day 2 swap (the Packers grabbing a second, and the Bills getting a third back), and the Packers also getting a sixth-rounder. Brandon Beane acquired Rasul Douglas from the Packers in 2023.

Cleveland Browns

Andrew Berry likes to have a volume of picks, so he prefers to make swaps than purely sending out picks. But that's ok in this case, and the Browns could be motivated to move up and take a quarterback if they don't draft one with the second overall pick. The Packers would send picks 23 and a sixth-rounder, and receive pick 33, early in the second, and 67, early in the third. That's an enticing package based on where the draft is strong.

New York Giants

This is a similar package to move down to 34, with pick 23 and a sixth going to New York—presumably, also with the idea of getting a quarterback with the fifth-year option. In addition to second- and third- rounders, the Packers would receive a late seventh as a sweetener.