3 trades Packers should make to take back NFC North from Bears
By Mike Luciano
Thompson was picked in the first round by Carolina six years ago, and he’s been a solid middle linebacker in his six-season stint with the Panthers, recording 403 tackles and 9.5 sacks. As good as Carolina has been this year, Matt Rhule and Phil Snow aren’t done turning over the defense, and a solid linebacker class in the 2021 draft class means that Thompson could be dealt away in exchange for a few draft picks.
With Christian Kirksey and Kamal Martin both getting injured in addition to Oren Burks failing to take that next step, the linebacking corps is shrinking by the day. Ty Summers is trying his best, but Brady showed just how to exploit him. They need someone with a higher athletic ceiling to start covering tight ends, and Thompson can provide that.
Thompson would start right away in Green Bay, as his speed and coverage ability fits in well with a zone-happy Mike Pettine defense that is hell-bent on limiting big plays. A third-round pick is a paltry penalty for a player of his caliber.