The Green Bay Packers and Cincinnati Bengals are going into the 2024 season with expectations of competing in their own conferences. The Packers were three points away from reaching the NFC Championship game last season while the Bengals are getting multiple key players back from injury, including quarterback Joe Burrow.
However, if things go sideways, could these two teams actually be in business with each other?
Green Bay Packers And Cincinnati Bengals Pegged For Blockbuster Trade
In a recent article by Alex Kay of Bleacher Report, Chase lands with the Packers in a massive trade:
Cincinnati Bengals receive: 2025 first-round pick, 2025 third-round pick, WR Christian Watson
Green Bay Packers receive: WR Ja’Marr Chase
Thanks to Jordan Love’s emergence as a franchise quarterback, the Green Bay Packers came out of the 2023 campaign with hopes of contending for years to come. While the team has a bright future, the Packers could expedite their championship window and improve their Super Bowl odds significantly by bringing aboard one of the game’s best receivers in Ja’Marr Chase.
Green Bay has plenty of quality receivers on the roster, but none have broken out as a true No. 1 star. The team had four different wideouts record at least 28 catches for 422 yards and four touchdowns last year, but leading receiver Jayden Reed’s 64 receptions for 793 yards and eight scores leaves a bit to be desired.
Chase would immediately establish himself as the go-to option in the Packers’ system. He’s put up over 1,000 yards and hauled in at least 81 balls in all three of his NFL seasons, including in 2022 when he appeared in just 12 games due to injury.
one of their promising young wideouts—as well as several draft picks—in return for Chase. Christian Watson would likely be the most desirable of the bunch, plus removing him from the equation clears a potential logjam on the outside.
In 23 games across his first two NFL seasons, Watson has caught 69 catches for 1,033 yards and 12 touchdowns. While those aren’t Chase-like figures, they are still strong for a player who has yet to enter his prime and has missed 11 contests due to injury.
If the Bengals cannot find a way to get an extension hammered out with Chase, bringing in Watson and two quality draft picks could position them well for the future.
This would certainly be an interesting scenario. The Bengals would be in a desperate spot if they were actually consider trading away Ja’Marr Chase.
On the flip side, would the Packers be okay with parting with multiple premium draft picks for a 24-year-old franchise wide receiver who is looking for a massive pay day?
Regardless, the Bengals will need to tread lightly in the Chase contract negotiations, we’ve seen many players demand a trade if they feel under appreciated with their current team.
