As the 2022 NFL draft approaches, the Green Bay Packers are in retool mode after beating Aaron Rodgers gigantic contract extension and trade away All Pro wide receiver Davante Adams. The good part of this equation is locking up Rodgers for the next few years and acquiring additional first- and second-round draft picks. The bad part is that he’s lost an all-world receiver and Rodgers’ favorite target in recent years.
Luckily for the Packers, they now have 11 picks in this year’s draft after the Adams trade to Las Vegas. You have two picks on the first, second and fourth rounds. Green Bay has seven picks in the first four rounds alone. So filling in some of their gaps shouldn’t be too much of a task for a team that has a reputation for working through the draft. The Packers don’t necessarily attract a crowd of big-name free agents like the LA Rams.
But the specific duty of replacing Adams will not be easy to fulfill. There isn’t a receiver in this draft class willing to come in and immediately fill the role of Adams for Green Bay. They also don’t have anyone on the list who feels ready to take on that role. We’ve heard from many teams going to a running back-by-committee ground game in recent years. The Packers need to complete a wide-receiver-by-committee offense to close the gap Adams left, as Rodgers didn’t seem to trust most other targets when Adams was there.
Anyone expecting Green Bay to pick a receiver early in this draft is likely to be in for a rude awakening. The last time the Packers picked a receiver in either the first or second round was in 2014 when they picked Adams 53rd overall. With 22nd and 28th overall wins this year, one would assume Green Bay could find a suitable player to come in and catch balls from Rodgers. Hell, they might even trade these picks if they were hoping to acquire one of the best wide receivers in this class.
This year’s group of receivers isn’t as good as some in recent drafts, but overall it’s still solid. Many mock drafts No receiver may be taken down to the lower end of the top 10. In a Packers mock draft, the team picks WR Chris Olav from Ohio State with the 22nd overall win. I think that’s wishful thinking. Green Bay goes on defense almost every time in the first round.
The Packers have picked an offensive player in the first round once since 2012. That was Jordan Love in 2020. In 2019 they had two first-round picks (like this year) and took a safety and a linebacker. While Olave would likely be a great addition, the chances of Green Bay going down this route so early in the draft are slim.
Should the Packers decide to deviate from their organizational norm, DrakeLondon from USC, another receiver could remain on the board in 22nd place. At 6’4″, London is tall, has a great catching radius and could be a great target for Rodgers on those 50/50 balls downfield. Jahan Dotson from Penn State is another guy who could step in right away and make a difference for Green Bay. Dotson doesn’t have the size of London or Olave, but he has the speed. He ran a 4.43 in the 40-yard dash. If you can’t be big, be fast and shady. Trylon Burks from Arkansas is another big body, strong receiver that the Packers might be interested in if they choose WR in round one.
If Green Bay decides to play it safe and stick to defense as usual in round one, they have some pretty good options there. A pass rusher from the edge is one area where the Packers need to get into this draft. Green Bay ranks in the middle 39 sacks in 2021. Not terrible, but not great either. The Packers ranked 24th in the NFL last year, which allowed opponents to convert over 41 percent of third-down attempts. Luckily they had a good runner-up finish last season which helped cover up some shortcomings in attack.
Some of the better known edge rushers like Aidan Hutchinson, Kayvon Thibodeauxand Jermaine Johnson II will disappear with selection #22. Unless Green Bay plans to break into the top 10, landing one of these players is pipe dream. But a player like George Karrive of Purdue could be available for the Packers at 22 or even 28. Karlaftis led the Boilermakers with 11.5 in tackles for losses last season. He was also named a first-team All-Conference in 2021.
Another potential first-round option at Edge Rusher for the Packers could be Boye Mafe from Minnesota. Mafe ran 4.53 in the 40, which is fast for a defender. Mafe was a third-team All-Conference team last year and led the Gophers with 10 tackles for loss while also producing seven sacks.
The offensive line is another area of need for Green Bay, and there’s a good chance it could be on that O-line if they go offensive in the first round. The Packers will be looking for a tackle somewhere in this draft, and one of the best this year is Mississippi State charles cross. Some mocks got him in the top 20, so there’s some chance he’s in at 22 for Green Bay. Cross took home first-team All-Conference honors last season and could become a standout pass blocker for Mr. Rodgers.
Trevor Penning from Northern Iowa is another gifted offensive lineman who might be waiting to hear his name late in the first round. Penning should be able to jump in and contribute immediately after entering the league.
Whatever the decision, the Cheeseheads have plenty of draft capital in their arsenal this year. You can obviously use all of your picks as is, or grab a few and move. Green Bay should be able to get away with at least a few long-term starters in more than one position this year with 11 picks.
