The draft is my favorite part of the offseason.
I love looking over draft prospects and trying to find which ones would specifically fit the Packers and their schemes.
Most years, it’s pretty straightforward. There are usually 2 or 3 key needs. Then I’m just looking at which prospects fit the Packers schemes and which ones might be good values at the Packers draft picks. After running a hundred or so mocks, I get a really good idea of where the Packers could go in the draft.
It’s a ton of fun, but as I get started on this years evaluations, I have absolutely no idea what positions are going to be needs.
The Packers currently have a complete roster – an absolutely stacked starting lineup with depth at every position.
However, they also have uncertainty at nearly every position because of their cap situation. After going all in last year, the Packers have one of the ugliest cap situations in the entire league.
First, we don’t know if reigning MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers will be back or not. If he is, the cap situation will necessitate more restructuring or some cuts (probably both). If he isn’t back, it likely means the Packers traded him and will have additional draft capital (and a decision to make on Jordan Love).
We also don’t know about Rodgers’s best buddies – Davante Adams and Randall Cobb.
Adams is a free agent looking to become the highest-paid wideout of all time and Cobb is a basically a free agent given the void structure of his contract.
Oh, and the other top receivers on the depth chart – Allen Lazard and MVS – are also free agents.
Things are just as cloudy with the tight ends: Robert Tonyan, who may not even be able to play next year after an ACL injury, and Marcedes Lewis, who is well past retirement age.
Let’s not forget that the offensive line may miss Elgton Jenkins (who is in a contract year), for most, if not all, of next season and Billy Turner could be a cap casualty.
On the other side of the ball, Za’Darius Smith (who looked like the best player on defense not too long ago) could also be a cap casualty after a season lost to injury.
Rasul Douglas, who was signed mid-season and filled in for Jaire Alexander without the defense missing a beat, may not be back with an expiring deal.
De’Vondre Campbell, who went from late free agent bottom-scraper to an All Pro and heart of the defense, is also on an expiring deal.
That’s a lot of unknowns, all over the roster.
The Packers could push more money out and try to go all in one more time with Aaron Rodgers on the last year of his deal or they could let everyone walk and heal their cap for a rebuild.
The dominoes will probably start with Aaron Rodgers’s decision, but whatever happens, we’ll be right here all offseason, walking you through the impact of every move, a thorough draft analysis with tons of mock scenarios, and even free agent news as it comes up.
All right here on PFTW 2022 Draft Central!
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GO DEEPER!
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