The Green Bay Packers utilized the 2024 NFL draft to bring in 11 young players onto the roster. It was the second-largest draft class in the league and included five picks across the first three rounds.
Still, this is a team that should be aggressive in looking to add talent. After going 9-8 in Jordan Love’s first year as the starting quarterback, they have the potential to take another step toward contending in the NFC this season.
That’s going to mean finding the best solutions in every role across the roster.
The major free agent signings are mostly out of the way but this is the time of year where there are some bargains to be found.
Based on the projected cost, the current depth chart and the talent available, these three players should be on the Packers radar right now.
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Jordan Love’s play was the biggest reason to be excited about the Packers this coming season. He was elite down the stretch and helped guide the team to a playoff berth.
The though of him missing any time right now is a nightmare.
That’s because the Packers might have one of the weakest backup quarterback situations in the league. If Love has to miss any time they’d be forced to turn things over to Sean Clifford. The former fifth-round pick made two appearances last season and threw just one pass.
The Packers also drafted Michael Pratt in the seventh round. B/R scout Derrik Klassen likes his future as a backup quarterback in the NFL, but also highlights some weaknesses that would make him a scary option in Year 1:
“Pratt lacks the decision-making and vision that his four-year starter status suggests. Pratt too often fails to see defenders in the middle of the field or adjust to any post-snap rotations, be that by the safeties or blitz packages with defenders dropping off the line of scrimmage.”
The Packers are too good to rely on a completely inexperienced backup option and Ryan Tannehill could be a solution. The 35-year-old was 39-24 as the Titans starter over the last five years and has 151 career starts.
His days as a starter are over. The market has spoken as far as that is concerned. However, he still has enough in the tank to be a good veteran backup who could win a few games with the Packers surrounding talent.
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The Packers have the makings of a good offensive line, but there are still some questions to answer before they take the field in a few months.
For one, who is going to be the starting left tackle?
The team moved on from David Bakhtiari after dealing with his knee injuries over the last few seasons. Rasheed Walker is the incumbent and he played pretty well last season. However, the team drafted Jordan Morgan with their first-round pick.
It’s unclear whether he’s a tackle or guard, though. Offensive coordinator Alex Stenavich has been non-committal about where he’ll line up in 2024. He played tackle at Arizona but doesn’t have the prototypical length for the position in the NFL.
If they feel he’s going to need some technical work before trying to play tackle in the league, then they would need to bring in someone to compete with Walker for the starting job.
D.J. Humphries is one of the best options available. The former Pro Bowler is still solid in pass protection and would at least be a great swing tackle at 30 years old.
Mike Stobe/2023 Mike Stobe
If there’s a position that could derail the Packers defense this season it’s cornerback. Eric Stokes and Jaire Alexander are the logical starters but there are reasons to doubt both of them.
Corey Ballentine proved to be a reliable backup but there isn’t a lot of proven depth.
Alexander has missed large chunks of the 2021 and 2023 seasons with major injuries. He’s only 27, but it’s fair to wonder if his injuries will allow him to get back to his All-Pro ceiling.
Stokes was a first-round pick in 2021, but hasn’t been able to stay on the field. He has just 12 games played over the last two seasons due to injuries. He has struggled when on the field too giving up a passer rating of 123.5 in 2022 and 145.3 in 2023.
Keisean Nixon played well in the slot last season and they brought him back with a new contract. However, the next best option could be safety Javon Bullard so it wouldn’t hurt to grab another corner who can give them some flexibility.
Adoree’ Jackson would make sense. He has the ability to play both inside and outside. He’s a veteran corner who isn’t going to be elite but would give them another solid option with a relatively high floor.
2024-05-08 13:05:58
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