The Green Bay Packers were pretty open about their concerns with the offensive line depth.

They went a way to fixing that following the preseason finale, reportedly sending a 2027 sixth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles in a trade for versatile lineman Darian Kinnard. He has experience at tackle but can also provide cover at guard.

Green Bay shouldn’t stop there. With injury concerns along the line before Week 1, the team should consider adding another veteran backup. Andy Herman of Packer Report floated the idea of the Packers bringing back Yosh Nijman in a trade with the Carolina Panthers.

Herman’s idea came before the Packers traded for Kinnard, but it still makes sense now. Here’s a no-brainer deal to make it happen with the Panthers:

A Yosh Nijman-Kristian Welch trade could make sense for the Packers and Panthers

Player-for-player deals aren’t common, but it could work here. Green Bay reunites with Nijman, while Carolina lands linebacker help with Kristian Welch.

Nijman offers experience at both tackle spots. He made 22 starts for the Packers and three last season for the Panthers. Bringing him back would give Green Bay insurance at both tackle positions and, along with the Kinnard move, would ensure the line has adequate depth across the board.

What about Carolina?

According to Joseph Person of The Athletic, the Panthers could make a move on the waiver wire to upgrade their linebacker room. That’s where the Packers come in.

Welch is having another excellent summer and deserves to make Green Bay’s 53-man roster. However, with a top four of Edgerrin Cooper, Quay Walker, Isaiah McDuffie, and Ty’Ron Hopper, Welch is competing with Isaiah Simmons for the final spot. Simmons’ performance in the preseason finale may give him the slight edge, making Welch available.

The veteran can provide the Panthers with much-needed depth at linebacker while instantly becoming a core special teams contributor.

Welch impressed again during the preseason. He dominated against the run, an area where the Panthers need help, earning an excellent Pro Football Focus run defense grade of 81.1 across the three games. He received an elite 90.7 defensive grade for his work in the preseason finale after making three run stops.

For the Packers, reuniting with Nijman would solve their offensive line problem.

Beyond the starting five of Rasheed Walker, Aaron Banks, Elgton Jenkins, Sean Rhyan, and Zach Tom, they have Jordan Morgan, Anthony Belton, and now Darian Kinnard providing cover. Donovan Jennings is also in the mix to make the 53-man roster. Add in Nijman, and the Packers would have multiple options at all five positions.

Green Bay may search for help on the waiver wire, but a player-for-player deal with Carolina could solve a problem for both teams.