The Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Chargers are going into the 2024 season with hopes in (at least) reaching the post-season. Both teams are led by young star quarterbacks who figure to be the franchise quarterback for the foreseeable future.
While Green Bay made the playoffs last year, the Chargers went 5-12 in an extremely disappointing season. One recent report suggested that the Chargers trade for one young Packers playmaker to improve their odds in the AFC West next year.
The Green Bay Packers And Los Angeles Chargers Named In Massive Trade Ahead Of 2024 Season
Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report highlighted numerous trades he believes should happen prior to the 2024 season. One of which included Green Bay sending T.J. Slaton to the Chargers:
Packers Receive: LB Daiyan Henley
Chargers Receive: DT T.J. Slaton
Straight up player-for-player trades are somewhat rare, but they can happen when an exchange could help both sides.
As it happens, both the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Chargers are working through philosophy changes on defense, and exchanging a linebacker for a defensive tackle could be worth exploring.
The Packers are transitioning from a 3-4 base to a 4-3 under new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. This will increase the need for off-ball linebackers as the Packers go from essentially needing just two on the field at any time to more looks where they have three ‘backers on the field.
It also makes a traditional nose tackle, like the 330-pound T.J. Slaton, a little tougher to project in the defense. The Packers could trade away Slaton and clear more snaps for Karl Brooks and Devonte Wyatt to take alongside Kenny Clark.
Meanwhile, Daiyan Henley was a third-round pick made by Tom Telesco who is no longer with the Chargers. Their decision to draft Junior Colson could be an indication that the Jim Harbaugh-led regime isn’t sold on Henley.
The 6’1″, 225-pound Henley would form a young, athletic trio with Quay Walker and Edgerrin Cooper.
The only Packers defensive player to appear in all 51 games during the last three seasons is Slaton.
In his rookie season, Slaton played 23.6% of the snaps, while in his sophomore season, he played 32.2%.
During his rookie season, he had 23 tackles, but that number increased to 31 in 2022 and 49 in 2023. In addition, Slaton’s grade from Pro Football Focus has improved each season.
Because of his overall growth, the Packers were confident that Slaton could handle the nose tackle position last season, so they moved Kenny Clark to defensive end.
“Going into camp after my rookie year it was just like, I got to pick it up a little bit,” Slaton said. “So I just prided myself on just moving faster, getting my lateral movement better, getting my weight down a little bit so I can be a little bit quicker.”
Slaton is on a trajectory to be dominant along the defensive line. It would be surprising to see Green Bay move on from him so soon.
