The Green Bay Packers went 13-3 in their first season under head coach Matt LaFleur, winning the NFC North and making it to the NFC Championship. They hope to build upon last season, make it back to the playoffs and compete for the Lombardi Trophy.
In order to do this, the Packers still have some weaknesses that need to be addressed. These are the three biggest needs the Packers have heading into the NFL Draft.
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Packers Draft Picks:
- Round 1, Pick 30
- Round 2, Pick 62
- Round 3, Pick 94
- Round 4, Pick 136
- Round 5, Pick 175
- Round 6, Pick 192 (from LVR)
- Round 6, Pick 208 (from TEN)
- Round 6, Pick 209
- Round 7, Pick 236 (from BUF/CLE)
- Round 7, Pick 242 (from BAL)
Packers’ Biggest Draft Needs
Wide Receiver
Green Bay signed Devin Funchess to a cheap, team-friendly deal, which was an alright start to addressing the giant wide receiver need. However, there is still almost no depth below him, his contract is only for one season and there’s no guarantee that he will be better than the practice squad players that were catching passes last season. Aaron Rodgers needs another option to complement Davante Adams, if this team hopes to make a deep playoff run next season.
Dream Pick: Laviska Shenault Jr., Colorado (No. 62)
Inside Linebacker
Starting inside linebacker Blake Martinez was not brought back this offseason. Instead, the Packers signed Christian Kirksey, but there is still a major need at the position. Kirksey, Oren Burks, Ty Summers and Curtis Bolton form what is arguably the weakest inside linebacking corps in the NFL, and that’s an issue that needs to be addressed immediately. If not, teams will continue to run the ball down the throat of the Packers.
Dream Pick: Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma (No. 30)
Cornerback
Many will say the Packers need to draft offensive tackle before cornerback, but at least Green Bay has two tackles capable of doing a good job. The Packers’ cornerback depth looks a lot like their wide receiver depth. Their top corner, Jaire Alexander, is one of the best in the league and will be a stud for years to come. Starting opposite of him is Kevin King, who was one of the worst corners in the NFL last season.
Last season, King allowed 864 yards (fourth-most in NFL). He often looked lost in coverage, and he gave up big chunks of yards, with the average depth of target on him being 12.6 yards. He also gave up 10.2 yards per target.
So far, the Packers’ attempt to fix their cornerback struggles has been to ramp up the pass rush. At some point, Green Bay needs to draft a second solid defensive back and play him in his natural position.
Dream Pick: Damon Arnette, Ohio State (No. 94)
Secondary Team Needs
Offensive Tackle
Tight End
Quarterback