The Green Bay Packers are a team that many people are keeping an eye on ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft. As one of the more surprising teams in the 2023 season, they have a very strong foundation they will be looking to build upon.
The Packers earned the No. 7 seed in the NFC, the last spot in the playoffs. You wouldn’t have known that with how well they played, going on the road and defeating the Dallas Cowboys in blowout fashion, becoming the first No. 7 seed in NFL history to advance.
While Green Bay’s season ended in the Divisional Round against the San Francisco 49ers, they have to be happy about how things are progressing. They look to have another franchise quarterback in Jordan Love and will be looking to upgrade the roster around him.
One area that could use some reinforcements is the offensive line. Last season, the Packers had a solid unit but had to battle through some injuries. Star left tackle David Bakhtiari played in Week 1 but didn’t get on the field again.
In free agency, the Packers lost guard Jon Runyan Jr. to the New York Giants. It would not be surprising if Green Bay looked for offensive linemen early in the 2024 NFL Draft. That is part of the reason ESPN’s Bill Barnwell has pitched the team making a trade to move up the board in the draft.
“I’ve already talked about the idea of Green Bay moving up for a tackle. Bouncing up to No. 15 would get them ahead of the Jaguars and a handful of other teams in that conversation. The Packers could also hit cornerback with both Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes battling injuries over the past couple of seasons, which is another position the Jags might consider addressing at No. 17. Gutekunst would still manage to hold onto the second-rounder the Packers received for Aaron Rodgers at No. 41, while the Colts would land another second-round pick for their collection.”
The Packers have a ton of flexibility for this year’s draft because of the trade with the New York Jets last offseason centered around Aaron Rodgers. Multiple second and third-round picks give general manager Brian Gutenkunst plenty of ammunition to move up, should that be what he wants to do.
This year’s draft is deep with talented tackles, which could be a route the Packers look to take. There have been rumors of the team moving right tackle Zach Tom to the center spot. How the early part of the draft unfolds could give an indication to how legitimate those rumors are.
Last season, Rasheed Walker filled in admirably for Bakhtiari at left tackle and could be seen as the starter heading into offseason workouts. The versatility of the players on the roster gives Gutenkunst and the front office a ton of flexibility when it comes to adding pieces in the trenches.
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