Needs and draft class strength are at odds for the Green Bay Packers. This year’s class is deep along the offensive line and at cornerback, two areas the Packers could afford to upgrade. But Green Bay’s biggest needs, safety and off-ball linebacker, aren’t plentiful in this year’s class.
However, the draft is more about immediate need, and Brian Gutekunst always wants competition across the roster. If there is an early run on offensive linemen and cornerbacks and the options for Green Bay’s other areas of need seem like too much of a reach in the first round, Gutekunst could go rogue and select a player at a surprising position.
What if 2024 is the year the Packers actually draft a first-round wide receiver?
It seems like a silly idea, considering their draft history and how good their current group is shaping up to be. But it’s not impossible. Despite their group’s varied skill set, they could still add to the room meaningfully. And if a run on the aforementioned positions pushes a top receiving threat into Green Bay’s range, don’t count out Gutekunst taking advantage.
Even when wide receiver was a massive need from 2020 to 2023, the Packers usually waited until later in the draft to address the position. Last year, the Packers had an opportunity to snag one of the draft’s hottest receiving prospects in Jaxon Smith-Njigba without needing to trade up. They still passed and loaded up at the position in later rounds, selecting Jayden Reed in the second, Dontayvion Wicks in the fifth, and Grant Dubose in the seventh.
Over the past two seasons, their investments have created a deep and versatile room, with Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Reed, and Wicks bringing something unique to the team. Add solid depth pieces like Malik Heath and Bo Melton, and you’ve got a deep group.
So wide receiver isn’t really a need for this team, and the Packers historically wait until Round 2 or later to add to the room. Why would a first-rounder make sense now of all times?
First, it would be objectively funny.
Second, the board may fall in a way that makes receiver a tempting pick. Third, they might be able to add a skill set they don’t already possess.
Offensive line and cornerback may be deep groups in this draft class, but they’re also premium positions coveted by other teams. There likely will be a run on both sometime after pick No. 10, leaving the Packers with only scraps by the time they pick. Green Bay’s board won’t be the same as any big board out there, but they likely won’t want to reach just to fill a need.
And if there is a run on positions they’d otherwise like to go for, it may further push other top options down. Why take OT8 or CB6 when you could take WR3 or 4?
Marvin Harrison Jr. is one of this class’s few “won’t be there” prospects. And teams picking early, like the Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Chargers, and New York Giants, are likely in the market for some weapons.
But it’s not impossible for someone like Rome Odunze to drop to the late teens, a spot where Green Bay could afford to trade up for the well-rounded receiver. Odunze can be a true X-factor and become the go-to guy the Packers don’t have.
The Packers didn’t have a true WR1 in 2023, but they made it work. Jordan Love didn’t need to push the ball because he trusted that any of his weapons could make the play. It was effective and made Green Bay’s offense hard to cover. But that absence was felt in the red zone, where there wasn’t an option you knew would simply win their one-on-one matchup. Odunze could be that type of player. It seems unlikely that he’ll be there at 25, but it’s not impossible, and he could be one of the few options worth trading up for if he slides.
LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr. is a more likely available option. He broke out in 2023 and is garnering late-first-round buzz. Thomas has a lot of Christian Watson to his game, so the pick might seem redundant. But Watson has unfortunately dealt with injuries in his young pro career, and we’ve seen the type of impact Watson has just by being on the field. At worst, drafting Thomas means you’ll have a greater chance of having that skillset on the field. At best, you’ve got two field-tilters who can win in different ways. Thomas is currently 18th on the consensus big board.
Considering what they already have in their WR room, it’s hard to see the team adding late Day 3 options. If the Packers really want to add to their receiving threats, they’ll need to do it early. The sweet spot still might be in the second round, and Green Bay has met with a few Day 2 options. The Packers have historically been successful in finding talented receivers in the second round, and the fifth-year option for a first-rounder isn’t super vital for receivers since the good ones get extensions long before they get to that point.
However, the board may fall in a way that makes taking a top option in the first round appealing. Matt LaFleur and Brian Gutekunst have pushed back against being complacent and want the team to take a big step forward next season. That could involve, for once, a first-round receiver coming in and having an early impact.
