Green Bay Packers

The Packers Won’t Do What You Want On Draft Day (And That’s OK)

Photo Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

The only silver lining to a terrible season is a high draft pick. However, the Green Bay Packers didn’t play quite terribly enough to get a “high” pick — they are slated to select 15th this year. It’s a bit of a problematic limbo to be in, considering the Packers entered the 2022 season with legitimate championship aspirations. A middle-round pick is still valuable, but it limits their options a bit.

Ever since the infamous Jordan Love selection in 2020, Green Bay’s early draft choices have been under the national microscope. The primary point of contention lies in that general manager Brian Gutekunst hasn’t gotten any offensive help for perhaps-soon-to-be-former QB Aaron Rodgers in the first round. That has elicited a visceral emotional response from fans rooting for the conspiratorial quarterback’s individual success over that of the team.

Ultimately, Gutekunst is in the business of building a sustainable model of team success. That mindset has led him to select exclusively defensive players during all four of the drafts under his control (with the exclusion of Love in 2020). Gutekunst’s ideology aligns with Matt LaFleur’s offensive philosophy. He makes his money by establishing a dominant run game to set up play-action passing. This allows the team to invest heavily in defensive personnel, as the type of players needed for that style of offense don’t necessarily need to be taken early to find success.

You want the Packers to grab a wide receiver early, right? Well, they’re not going to do that. Green Bay is in the business of taking defensive players early. Do not expect that philosophy to change this year.

Taking defensive players does not grab headlines. That isn’t to say that the Packers won’t invest in offensive players during the later rounds. However, given the injuries and pending departures to defensive starters last season, it would be silly to not think that Joe Barry’s unit needs all the help it can get. With legitimate question marks surrounding some of the top receivers in this year’s draft, it would be smart to not rock the boat and help shore up the core of the team’s identity.

Going defense in the first round would also align with the notion that Gutekunst and the Packers are confident in their QB situation heading into 2023. If Rodgers is at the helm, they would be expecting that he returns to form and takes full advantage of the young receiving talent he already has in Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs. If Rodgers departs as expected, though, it will signify the belief that the franchise has in Love and his ability to grow throughout the years with the aforementioned WR duo.

Green Bay’s successful track record of drafting in this way is also worth consideration. Many of those first-round defensive selections, with the exception of Eric Stokes (and, for some, Darnell Savage) have been home runs. Rashan Gary and Jaire Alexander have both been exceptional when healthy, and last year’s first-round rookie class of Quay Walker and Devonte Wyatt showcased immense potential. Not to mention that team success has also followed, with three 13-win seasons to show in Gutekunst’s five years in charge.

Ultimately the decision on draft day boils down to the hearts of the fans versus the brains of the front office. If there is skill-position value to be had in the later rounds, that is the likely direction that they will take. The looming departure of Randall Cobb and exodus of Amari Rodgers last season leaves a void in the slot, so the potential to snag Tank Dell or Josh Downs is certainly available. Grabbing a tight end is one of the only hiccups in this plan, but the last few high draft picks the Packers have invested in the position haven’t worked out (Josiah Deguara, Jace Sternberger).

It is frustrating as fans to watch this unfold. Football is a sport that is inherently catered towards offense, so as fans of teams we want to see big-name players making the highlight plays. Green Bay has been spoiled with star WR talent like Davante Adams, Jordy Nelson, Greg Jennings, and Donald Driver over the last decade-plus. Therefore, not having that clear-cut No. 1 guy is ramping up the urgency of the fans to find that player. Watson may be that guy, but it is too early to tell. Hence the cries for the Packers to continue taking WRs.

That isn’t an ideal position for the front office to be in, but nothing will be ideal following a season in which title hopes were whisked away by a failure to even make the playoffs. The search for answers (and scapegoats) will continue until they make more notches in the win column. If Gutekunst’s word goes, those wins will come by way of young and effective defensive players. Only time will tell to see if he’s right this year.

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