By making a pair of unrelated trades with the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys, GM/Head Coach Mike Sherman strengthened the Packers' depth as needed at cornerback, while downsizing what had become a surplus of wide receivers.
Friday, the Packers sent their second-round choice in the 2003 NFL Draft to the Eagles in exchange for five-year veteran cornerback Al Harris and a fourth-round pick. Meanwhile the team sent wide receiver Terry Glenn to Dallas in exchange for an undisclosed 2004 draft choice.
Sherman said he was comfortable giving up a second-round pick because of Harris' potential to help the team immediately, and because the team received a fourth-round draft choice in return.
"It was hard (to give up a second-round pick), but it came down to the fact that I needed to fix the team right away (at cornerback)," Sherman said. "I feel like we got a guy that has the potential to play and help us right away ...
"I wouldn't have done the deal unless we had that (fourth-round pick in return). That was part of it."
With Mike McKenzie starting at left corner, Harris will battle Bryant Westbrook and Bhawoh Jue for the starting spot at right corner, a space previously held down by Tyrone Williams, who voided his contract this week.
Sherman said that in analyzing the draft pool he didn't think the Packers would be able to select a corner that could help the team right away. And while he allowed that there is a difference between the talent available in the second and fourth rounds, Sherman said that in the long run there's "not a significant difference."
The Glenn trade was made possible by last season's emergence of Donald Driver as a Pro Bowl talent, Robert Ferguson's maturation as a player and the arrival of Javon Walker via the draft.
None of those elements looked quite the same last season when the Packers traded with New England to get the experienced Glenn.
"We've had guys emerge, so now he's become more expendable," Sherman said. "I didn't really have a choice last year in regard to that issue (due to the departures of Antonio Freeman, Bill Schroeder and Corey Bradford)."
Taking that into consideration, Sherman has no regrets over bringing Glenn to Green Bay.
"You have to put yourself back a year," he said. "It's very easy to say, yes, I would do it again."
