The Green Bay Packers could pull off a major trade before the NFL trade deadline.
The Green Bay Packers suffered two massive blows last Sunday. They fell to the Carolina Panthers at home, and they also lost tight end Tucker Kraft for the season with a torn ACL.
So, will the Packers simply rely on Luke Musgrave the rest of the way? Or will they try to swing a last-minute trade for a replacement?
Well, apparently, Green Bay is pursuing the latter, as Easton Butler of Packer Report has revealed that the Packers are attempting to complete a trade for Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer.
Now, Green Bay may hit a roadblock here, though, as Mitchell Renz of Raiders Report has said that Las Vegas has no intention of moving Mayer before the NFL trade deadline.
The Raiders originally selected Mayer in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and the general expectation was that he would be the tight end of the future in Vegas.
Mayer logged 27 catches for 304 yards and a couple of touchdowns during his rookie campaign, flashing some very clear potential.
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer. Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images.However, that ensuing offseason, the Raiders bagged fellow tight end Brock Bowers in the first round of the draft, muddying Mayer's role moving forward.
Bowers is now the obvious No. 1 tight end in Las Vegas, and with Mayer having just one year remaining on his deal after this season, he seems like an obvious trade candidate.
The 24-year-old caught just 21 passes for 156 yards last year and has totaled 15 grabs for 133 yards and a score thus far in 2025.
Mayer displayed considerable talent at Notre Dame, posting back-to-back 800-yard campaigns over his final two seasons with the Fighting Irish in 2021 and 2022. But he hasn't gotten much of a chance to show it on the professional level.
It would be interesting to see what type of value the Raiders would place upon Mayer in a potential trade. Would they be willing to move him for the right price?
At the same time, given that Kraft is due back in 2026, it seems hard to imagine the Packers paying a hefty price for Mayer, especially considering they have a former second-round tight end of their own in Musgrave on the roster.
But with Green Bay pushing for a Super Bowl this year, perhaps general manager Brian Gutekunst will get desperate.