Packers floated as landing spot for elite defensive player in move that could fix past mistake, but now it's too late

Go back eight years. Still under veteran general manager Ted Thompson, the Green Bay Packers had the 29th overall pick in the draft. When they were on the clock, Wisconsin standout T.J. Watt was still available. It would be natural to connect the dots, especially because at that point his brother, JJ Watt, was one of the best defensive players in football.

But the Packers had some injury concerns regarding T.J. and a bigger need at cornerback with the departure of Sam Shields. So the Packers moved down from 29 to 33, selecting Kevin King, and Watt went to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Well, you probably have known this sequence very well if you are a Packers fan, because nobody allows you to forget that mistake.

Almost a full decade later, though, could there be a crazy scenario where T.J. Watt finally plays in his hometown state?

After Watt shared a 'peace out' social media post amid extension negotiations with Pittsburgh, Andrew Vasquez from the Steelers Wire made a list of potential landing spots for the edge defender. And, guess what, the Packers are the first one on the list.

While it would be cool to have T.J. Watt on the roster, the risk in these types of moves is real. The former defensive player of the year is already 30, and the combination of draft capital and big contract is something the Packers don't tend to prioritize.

"When you trade a high pick for a veteran player, you're trading a young, really good contract for a player who's proven, but probably expensive, so you're giving up a pick and salary cap space," general manager Brian Gutekunst said after the season. "You gotta weigh that. If it's the right player, if you can feel he can be a dynamic player that can change your football team, you gotta consider that, because there's not many of those guys out there. But you also have to understand what you're giving up."

The question is not if Watt is that player right now, but if he will be through the course of a new deal.

Under his current contract, the defensive end is slated to make $21.05 million in each of 2025 and 2026. But the point of his stance is exactly that he wants an extension.

And the edge defender market has gone to another level this offseason, with Myles Garrett getting a four-year, $160 million extension from the Cleveland Browns. Watt will realistically become the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL.

But yes, Watt is a super talented player. Over the past two seasons, he had 30.5 sacks and 139 pressures. In comparison, Rashan Gary had 16.5 sacks and 107 pressures in the same period.

If the Packers are willing to go that far, and it's honestly difficult to project they would, the short-term impact would be undeniable.

But the long-term risk is obvious, making it a move that would be totally out of character for how the Packers tend to operate.

"We've always been draft-and-develop and believe in that," Gutekunst added. "It's one of the benefits we have working here in Green Bay, because we're allowed to give guys time to really develop. That's certainly something we will continue to do."

If you like players like T.J. Watt and Trey Hendrickson, don't hold your breath.