Despite losing a few key pieces, including Za’Darius Smith, Billy Turner, Lucas Patrick, and, of course, Davante Adams, the Green Bay Packers still possess one of the best rosters in the league. That puts general manager Brian Gutekunst and his staff in a good position in the upcoming draft. With few glaring holes, the staff won’t be forced to reach for need and can still take a best-player-available approach.
One of the few glaring areas of need is at wide receiver. The Adams trade gave Green Bay plenty of capital to get their chosen guy early. But the Packers traditionally wait until the later rounds to draft receivers. Even though it’s a need, they can get their guy(s) on Day 2. As much as fans (and I) would love to see an early investment in a top wide receiver, it would not be shocking if the Packers spent their early draft picks on shoring up the trenches instead.
Gutekunst may have a good amount of Ron Wolf in him, but he’s still very much a disciple of the Ted Thompson way. And Thompson loved to draft bulky boys.
“The good Lord only made so many big guys.”
Gutekunst may have relaxed the Packers’ size requirements compared to Thompson, but he still prefers his draft selections to be big and athletic. Gutekunst has also spent his first-round picks on premium positions: three defensive backs, an edge, and a quarterback. He’s also broken tradition in other ways, drafting interior linemen with premium picks, taking Elgton Jenkins and Josh Myers in the second round. Gutekunst clearly values big players and premium positions.
As well he should. Football is still a game won in the trenches. While the Packers’ historically, mega, terribly bad special teams ended the team’s season early, the offense also lacked steam. The offensive line played one of their worst games of the season against a very good San Francisco 49ers front seven. Green Bay’s offensive line similarly foundered in 2020 to the dominant Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense after being unable to efficiently replace the recently injured David Bakhtiari.
Green Bay’s offensive line mostly persevered through injuries in 2021. However, the team lost two versatile players in Billy Turner and Lucas Patrick. Elgton Jenkins is coming off a major injury, and David Bakhtiari missed almost an entire year of football. The Packers need to re-bolster their offensive line.
Gutekunst has drafted at least three linemen in each of the last two years, and he’s likely to double up again this year. While some Day 3 guys are almost guaranteed, it wouldn’t be a stretch if Gutey took a tackle with one of his first two picks. We still don’t know the Packers’ long-term plans for Jenkins, and this class has some impressive offensive tackle specimens at the top.
Top options Evan Neal and Ikem Ekwonu certainly won’t be available, barring a blockbuster move up. Still, the next crop — Charles Cross, Bernhard Raimann, Trevor Penning, and Tyler Smith — are all realistic possibilities. Gutekunst will have options. If he really likes a guy, he has the ammo to move up and get him.
The offensive line doesn’t have a patent on talented big men, either. Joe Barry’s defense had some growing pains in Year 1, but they were a dominant force by the time the 49ers came to town for the divisional round. Investing in the front seven is a good way to put the hurting on other quarterbacks for a change.
The Packers don’t traditionally draft interior defensive linemen early, with Kenny Clark‘s 2016 selection being an exception. Since then, they also haven’t done much to get Clark any help, and most of their attempts haven’t worked well. Signing Jarran Reed is a step in the right direction, but it’s a tempting proposition if Gutekunst can snag one of the Georgia boys, Jordan Davis or Devonte Wyatt, to join Clark and Reed.
Adding a stud defensive lineman will either free Clark up for more one-on-one matchups or let the draftee take advantage of Clark’s constant double teams. What was once one of the team’s biggest weaknesses could become one of their biggest strengths.
Interior defensive lineman may be an unusual luxury pick for the Packers, but Thompson and Gutekunst both swoon over edge players. Even after releasing Za’Darius Smith, edge isn’t an immediate need thanks to Rashan Gary‘s ascension and their decision to extend Preston Smith. But there isn’t much experience beyond their top two guys.
Thankfully, this class is very top-heavy with big men who can rush the passer. Despite recently tearing his Achilles tendon, Michigan edge David Ojabo is a VERY Packers target. He shares a lot of similarities with fellow former Wolverine Rashan Gary. Both are athletic monsters with sky-high ceilings. Like Gary, the Packers can mold Ojabo into the type of defender they need. Spending a premium pick on an injured player is less daunting when you have two first-rounders.
There are plenty of other options, too. And none of them will need to be an instant starter thanks to the Gary/Smith tandem, so the Packers can choose the traits they like. We’re still learning what types of players Barry wants in his defense, but edge is a premium position, and the options will fly off the board early. Whoever Barry likes, Gutekunst has the capital to make it happen.
I would love it if the Packers took a wide receiver in the first round, but they may wait until Day 2 to address that need, even with the extra picks. It would be a very Packers move to ignore receivers and focus on bolstering the trenches, but it wouldn’t be a bad one. No matter what angle they decide to go, Green Bay has the luxury to choose what position to target and the capital to get their man.
