On Thursday night, the Green Bay Packers used first- and fourth-round picks to trade up and secure the future of the game’s most important position.
A day later, the Packers must find immediate contributors to help bolster a roster that was one win away from the Super Bowl.
Quarterback Jordan Love was a gutsy pick made for the long-term health of the franchise, but his addition will do next to nothing to help the Packers get back to the Super Bowl in the short term under current starter Aaron Rodgers, who turned 36 years old in December.
However, the Packers can lessen the immediate opportunity cost of taking Love – a developmental quarterback who might not play for three years – by identifying and adding a couple of starters over the next two days, with a focus on Friday’s second and third rounds.
The Packers will pick at No. 62 and No. 94 overall on Day 2. It’s hardly an enviable spot, and with the team’s only fourth-round pick now in possession of the Dolphins (via the Love trade), the Packers really lack the draft capital to make much of a move up the board, unless, of course, GM Brian Gutekunst wants to use future picks.
Good players will go quick Friday night, but there’s strong depth at several of the Packers’ biggest need positions, including receiver, offensive tackle and linebacker. If the Packers can find a near-future starter at two out of those three positions on Day 2, a team that finished 13-3 and won the NFC North in 2019 has a chance to improve in a meaningful way in 2020 even if the first-round pick doesn’t play a single snap.
While offensive tackle has several developmental options, both receiver and linebacker look like prime positions for finding potential immediate contributors. Some combination of a receiver and linebacker – even if they become rotational, part-time players in 2020 – could elevate two positions that need the help right now.
The Packers could also look to the line of scrimmage, where there are needs at offensive tackle and along the defensive line. This team has snagged quality starters along the offensive line from the middle rounds several times over the last 15 years. And defensive line could be a position in which one of the good but not great players falls to the bottom of either the second or third round, creating the right value for a team that needs to get better defending the run upfront.
The list of available players also includes several versatile defensive backs, including hybrid safety-linebackers and hybrid safety-slot corners. The Packers essentially play with three safeties on the field as a base defense, so targeting a near-future starter there makes plenty of sense.
A tight end might even work if the Packers don’t find or don’t like the receivers on the board. Finding a long-term running mate for Jace Sternberger is appealing.
A true wildcard is at running back. This year’s class of backs looks really strong in this part of the draft, and although Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams present a strong and experienced one-two punch, grabbing a back during Day 2 could add an instant contributor who ensures the position stays a strength beyond 2020. It might be tempting to take one of the good backs if they fall to 62 or 94.
The Packers stuck to their board and took the quarterback in the first round. Many years are needed before the impact of that decision is felt. On Friday night, the Packers will have an opportunity to refocus on the short term by adding weapons for Aaron Rodgers’ offense and Mike Pettine’s defense in Rounds 2-3. Immediate help didn’t arrive for either in Round 1, but the draft isn’t 32 picks long.
[lawrence-related id=43687,43660]