Green Bay had an up and down season last year, losing four games in the middle of the season, then ripping off a streak of six straight wins to end the regular season. They ended up losing to the Falcons in the NFC Championship game, but are poised to have a great season again this year.
Aaron Rodgers (Photo courtesy: packers.com)
With Aaron Rodgers at the helm, the quarterback position and the passing offense are in good hands. Eddie Lacy is now gone and the Packers are hoping that Ty Montgomery can continue to produce from the running back position. He averaged 5.9 yards per carry in 2016 and Mike McCarthy is putting his faith in him.
The wide receiver position is always stacked, when they can stay healthy. Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Davante Adams are all good receivers. Green Bay also signed Martellus Bennett to play tight end, giving Rodgers a lot of weapons for next season. The offensive line is great, but right guard is the weak point.
Defensively, the Packers had a tough time stopping plays through the air, as they gave up the second most passing yards in the NFL. The good news is they stopped the run well, ranking eighth in rushing yards allowed.
With the pass defense doing so poorly, the only great players Green Bay has in the secondary are Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Morgan Burnett, the safeties. After showing flashes as rookies, Quentin Rollins and Damarious Randall both took steps backwards last season. Davon House was signed, but had a terrible season last year.
Clay Matthews had a rough season, but will likely bounce back. Meanwhile, Nick Perry played well at the other outside linebacker position. Jake Ryan had a solid season at inside linebacker, while rookie Blake Martinez struggled, but showed flashes that he can be a good player in future. Mike Daniels had a great season at defensive end, while Kenny Clark and Dean Lowery, both had solid rookie seasons at the other two defensive line positions.
Picks and Needs
The Packers have eight picks in the 2017 NFL Draft. The Packers can get the key pieces to help Rodgers win the Super Bowl in this draft.
First round: (1) No. 29
Second round: (1) No. 61
Third round: (1) No. 93
Fourth round: (1) No. 134
Fifth round: (2) No. 172, No. 182
Sixth round: (1) No. 212
Seventh round: (1) No. 247
These needs are in no particular order.
Offensive Needs:
Wide Receiver- With Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb getting injured often and Ty Montgomery moving to running back, a wide receiver may be taken late.
Inside Linebacker- Blake Martinez didn’t have a great rookie season and Jake Ryan has one solid year and one bad year in his career.
Cornerback- Green Bay doesn’t have any great corners and they need to stop the pass better next season.
The picks here are who the Packers could realistically get where they are drafting. There will be no trades.
Pick #29: Tre’Davious White, CB, LSU
Tre’Davious White (Photo courtesy: nola.com)
White would fill the Packers most glaring need, but could also provide a good kick returner. He is a leader for LSU and a solid cover corner. Size, strength and run support are the big question marks for White, but his man to man cover skills should make him worth it at this pick.
Second Round
Pick #61: T.J. Watt, DE/OLB, Wisconsin
Green Bay can get their replacement for Julius Peppers. Watt is a local guy from Wisconsin and has the ability to grow into a great edge rusher. He needs some time to develop as he only played on defense for one year at Wisconsin.
Third Round:
Pick #93: Nico Siragusa, G, San Diego State
Siragusa was a big part of running back Donnell Pumphrey breaking the all time rushing record for a career in college football at San Diego State. The Packers would at the very least like the depth Siragusa can provide on the interior of the offensive line.
Conclusion
The Packers will always have a shot at a Super Bowl with Aaron Rodgers and selecting the right players in this draft class can support Rodgers at the quest for another Lombardi Trophy.
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