šØBREAKING: Packers Reach Verbal Agreement With Browns star DT Amid Devonte Wyatt Injury Setbackš
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Packers Target Shelby Harris to Reinforce Defensive Front Amid Devonte Wyatt Injury Concerns
The Green Bay Packers have been talking about their future for a while-but trading for Micah Parsons and locking him up on a massive four-year, $186 million extension? That move sent a loud message: the future isnāt coming-itās here.
After a fast start to the 2025 season, burying the Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders at home, it looked like Green Bayās young core was ready to take the league head-on. But reality hit in the form of a Week 3 loss to Cleveland, followed by a shootout draw with Dallas.
The defense, once seen as a rising force, found itself giving up 40 points to the Cowboys. That's an eye-opener, and Micah Parsons didnāt sugarcoat things-he pointed directly to the absence of Devonte Wyatt in the middle.
Wyatt had been playing some of his best football up to that point. The former first-round pick was starting to put it all together before a knee injury in Week 3 put him on the shelf. Now labeled āweek-to-week,ā his uncertain timeline raises urgency for the Packers as they enter the teeth of the season and eye the trade market before the November 4 deadline.
A Sensible Target: Shelby Harris
While some fans have dreamed of a blockbuster for Tennesseeās Jeffery Simmons, that ship likely sailed with the Parsons extension sucking up major cap space. Instead, Brian Gutekunst may be eyeing a more budget-friendly but still effective reinforcement-and that could lead them to Shelby Harris in Cleveland.
Letās be clear: Harris isnāt just a cap-friendly option-heās producing. Pro Football Focus has him ranked 25th among qualifying defensive tackles with a solid 72.5 grade overall.
Heās not just occupying space in the middle-heās getting things done on the stat sheet too. Through four weeks, Harris has recorded four pressures on just 42 pass rush snaps, and heās added five run stops in 49 run defense reps.
That's balanced production, and itās exactly the kind of support Green Bayās front line could use while Wyatt is down.
Packers brass didnāt have to squint to see what Harris brings-he was active in Clevelandās Week 3 upset in Lambeau, notching a pressure and two run stops of his own. Heās disruptive, experienced, and importantly, he fits financially.
Cap Match Made in Heaven
Hereās where things really start to align. Harris carries just a $2 million cap hit for the rest of this season-a manageable figure for a Packers team that still has around $11.1 million in cap room. If they add Harris, that number drops to $8.6 million, with no long-term financial strings attached.
Green Bay can get stronger up front without compromising future flexibility. Thatās a win for a team trying to walk the tightrope between contending now and continuing to build around a talented core.
Why Cleveland Might Listen
The Browns, sitting at a disappointing 1-3, could slide further in a tough AFC North. If things donāt turn around quickly, Cleveland might be one of the first teams to shift into sell mode-and Harris could become a casualty of that shift. With Maliek Collins and promising rookie Mason Graham holding down the interior spots, Harris might be the odd man out.
Heās on an expiring deal. And if GM Andrew Berry starts fielding calls with next year in mind, the Packers might be one of the first ones dialing.
What Would It Cost?
So whatās the asking price? If recent trades are anything to go by, it wouldnāt be steep.
Last season, the 49ers snagged Khalil Davis for a 2026 seventh-rounder. And the Seahawks landed Roy Robertson-Harris for a sixth-round pick in the same class.
Expect Harris to fetch something similar-heās got more experience and a stronger rĆ©sumĆ© than Davis, but wouldnāt command anything close to a premium selection.
A 2026 sixth-round pick feels like the sweet spot. A low-risk, midseason reinforcement without touching Day 1 or Day 2 draft capital. And for a front four thatās currently relying heavily on a banged-up Wyatt, second-year player Karl Brooks, rookies Colby Wooden and Nazir Stackhouse-a veteran like Harris could bring some much-needed stability and experience to that group.
Bottom Line
This is the kind of move that can quietly but meaningfully raise a teamās floor. Parsons is already the centerpiece of the defense, but no elite linebacker thrives without help up front. If Wyattās going to be out even a few more weeks, adding Harris fills the gap and keeps the defense in rhythm-and it costs next to nothing in draft capital or cash.
The Packers have made it clear: they believe in this team right now. Going after Harris would be a move that matches that urgency without mortgaging the future.