Packers' Veteran CB Deal Ripped as 'Worst Trade' of Last Decade

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General manager Brian Gutekunst of the Green Bay Packers speaks to the media during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center on February 25, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

The Green Bay Packers have made a number of high-profile trades over the past decade, from dealing wide receiver Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders to shipping off four-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets.

In both cases — and many others — the Packers walked away feeling good about their decision and moved forward confidently with new assets to help build their future.

If there is one Packers trade that stands out as the “worst” of the last decade, though, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox believes it is the one involving Rasul Douglas.

“Green Bay’s 2023 trade of cornerback Rasul Douglas hasn’t aged quite as well,” Knox wrote, contrasting it with the Rodgers trade. “The Packers did get a third-round pick from Buffalo in exchange for Douglas and a fifth-round selection. However, giving up a starting-caliber cornerback in the middle of the season was a questionable move.

“Since Douglas was dealt, the Packers have struggled to find high-level starters to pair with Jaire Alexander, who, in turn, has struggled to stay on the field. Cornerback remains a need in 2025.”

Rasul Douglas Provided Reliability for Packers Secondary

The Packers traded away Douglas to the Bills just before the 2023 NFL trade deadline. At the time, they had multiple justifications for the move: it returned them significant draft capital (a third-rounder), it freed up meaningful salary-cap space for the next season and it allowed them to put young cornerback Carrington Valentine to the test.

In hindsight, though, the Packers might have wanted to keep Douglas’ reliability.

The Packers originally signed Douglas off the Arizona Cardinals’ practice squad during the 2021 season and quickly saw him claim a role within their secondary. In 12 games, he tallied five interceptions with a career-high two pick-sixes and 13 pass deflections. Douglas remained just as productive over the next season and a half in Green Bay, too.

When the Packers received a strong offer from the Bills for Douglas, though, they felt they were both capitalizing on the high point of his value and making a calculated call to give their younger corners — which also included first-round Eric Stokes — a real shot. They knew the risk but ultimately felt they could swing it with Alexander in place.

Unfortunately, Alexander’s poor availability over the past two seasons has complicated the plan. They have gotten solid play out of Valentine and watched slot corner Keisean Nixon make a successful leap to the boundary in 2024, but injuries have limited the All-Pro Alexander to just seven games in each of the past two seasons, hurting their efforts.

In the end, the Packers will survive, but they could have made it easier on themselves.

Could Packers Reunite With Rasul Douglas for 2025?

The Packers are still facing cornerback questions amid 2025 OTAs. They have not yet resolved their situation with Alexander, whom they could still trade or release instead of retaining for the 2025 season. They also did not invest in the cornerback position in the 2025 NFL draft until the seventh round, defying most external expectations.

While Green Bay may still figure out how to keep Alexander in the mix, they could need more reinforcements if they move on from him. Could that lead them back to Douglas?

Douglas remains unsigned on the free-agent market, but he is also coming off a season for the Bills in which his performance took a statistical step back. He tallied zero picks and just five total pass deflections in 15 games before suffering a late-year knee injury. According to Pro Football Focus, he also allowed a 123.7 passer rating in coverage

The Packers might also feel that the familiarity is lacking with Douglas, even though they know who he is as a person and a leader. The Packers switched to a 4-3 defense in 2024 under defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley and are sticking with the same scheme for the forthcoming season. That does not mean Douglas would not fit into the picture, but it is not as seamless as sliding him back into the defense like nothing ever changed.

Historically, the Packers do not often bring back players once they have moved on from them. They did so with wide receiver Randall Cobb in 2021, but only at the insistence of Rodgers. Maybe they feel different about Douglas, but it is a long shot at this point.

Jordan J. Wilson is a sports reporter who covers the NFL and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers. He has previously covered all levels of sports — high school, college and pro — for a variety of publications including The Indianapolis Star, The News-Gazette, Springfield State-Journal Register and Peoria Journal Star. More about Jordan J. Wilson