Despite losing a fair number of starters and depth pieces this offseason, the Green Bay Packers enter the 2022 NFL Draft in a pretty good spot.
Most of their core roster is intact, they have four top-60 picks, few true needs (besides receiver), and they retained back-to-back MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers after an uncertain year. Compared to most teams in the league, that’s a solid place to start.
Green Bay will be one of the most interesting teams to follow this weekend, even for those outside of the fanbase. Brian Gutekunst is a wild card, zigging when the league thinks he’s zagging. Anything could happen during the draft. Could the Packers make a truly unexpected move and take a quarterback?
Obviously, having Rodgers means you don’t need a quarterback. Obviously, Jordan Love is still a member of the Green Bay Packers. I think Kurt Benkert is really cool, and I’d like to see him stick around in Green Bay.
But Rodgers won’t be the under center forever, and the Packers could trade Love to a QB-needy team. Regardless, the timing just doesn’t work for Love to be the signal-caller of the future. And the worst time to look for a quarterback is when you need it. That’s how you end up trading up one spot for Mitchell Trubisky.
The Packers need to start thinking about their future quarterback, but in a way that won’t make Rodgers mad. And while the Packers are committed to keeping the team relevant in the future, not mortgaging everything on this season, they need to spend those first four picks on quality players at premium positions. But once the third round starts? Go nuts.
Teams will still go for the top talent early in a QB class that draft experts are down on. That’s an ideal scenario for Green Bay. The top-scouted quarterbacks in this class are on the older side and still need time to develop. There isn’t a Trevor Lawrence or Andrew Luck-type “can’t-miss” guy. Love has the edge over top guys like Malik Willis, Matt Corral, and Kenny Pickett due to age and experience.
But once the top guys are selected, things get more fun. At this stage, you’re betting on desirable traits and upside and trusting the coaching staff’s ability to develop their guy. No one will check all the boxes, but that’s what you’d expect from a third-round or lower selection.
North Carolina’s Sam Howell had an impressive collegiate career starting from his true freshman season. A well-rounded quarterback, Howell has traits that teams can build upon, but his intangibles truly shine. Howell became a leader immediately, adapted to new supporting casts over time, and showed poise and toughness. His grit is one of his most praised traits.
The Draft Network’s Joe Marino said this of Howell:
“Considering the structure of the North Carolina offense that features static alignments, binary reads, and plenty of manufactured throws, there is an acclimation period ahead for Howell as he adjusts to the next level which should temper any thought that he will be a day-one NFL starter.“
Howell wouldn’t need to come in and start immediately. He’d get to learn from Rodgers, while Rodgers would know the offense was his to command until his retirement. Marino lists Howell as a third-round talent, and Green Bay has been terrible and picking in the third round anyway.
But there are intriguing flier options if Green Bay doesn’t want to invest that early. Western Kentucky’s Bailey Zappe has just one year of starting experience. But he made the most of it, breaking Joe Burrow‘s NCAA single-season passing yards and touchdown passing records. Zappe’s ceiling might not be sky-high, but his skill set would translate perfectly to the Matt LaFleur offense. He won’t be able to do everything Rodgers can do within the core of that offense. But short of gambling everything away for Archie Manning or creating a prospect in a lab, no one is. If nothing else, Zappe would be a highly intriguing backup.
Want a Taysom Hill that isn’t 45 years old and might actually be able to throw the ball? Consider E.J. Perry. Brown University isn’t a football powerhouse, but Perry tore up the Ivy League competition thanks to his outstanding dual-threat ability. At worst, Perry could develop into a trick-play waiting to happen. At best, he could become a very successful NFL quarterback in a QB-friendly offense.
Green Bay has other needs in this draft. And it’s highly unlikely the Packers will find a future starter in Round 3 or lower. But it’s time to start thinking about bringing in quarterbacks and seeing what sticks. No team wants to be in QB limbo, especially after 30 years of elite quarterback play. Maybe this isn’t the right time to look, but when will it be? Green Bay’s actions have made it clear Love isn’t the answer. The 2022 class might not be either. But depending on how things play out, it’s worth rolling the dice.
