Ranking The Green Bay Packers’ Draft Needs
· Yahoo Sports
The Green Bay Packers could use help at cornerback, where Carrington Valentine (left) had a rough 2025.
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Getty ImagesCornerback. Defensive line. Offensive line.
Wash. Rinse. Repeat.
It seems these positional groups have been annual need areas for the Green Bay Packers since Brian Gutekunst became general manager in 2018. Don’t look now, but when the NFL Draft begins April 23, those will once again be the areas the Packers are most likely to address.
Green Bay went a disappointing 9-8-1 last season and collapsed in an NFC Wild Card game at Chicago. The Packers have a solid roster, but if they hope to catch conference powers such as Seattle, the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco and Philadelphia, they must upgrade the aforementioned positions.
That won’t be easy, as the Packers have just seven picks and no first rounder after including that chip in a trade with Dallas in Aug., 2025, for star defensive end Micah Parsons. That means Green Bay won’t select until pick No. 52.
With the draft rapidly approaching, here’s a ranking of Green Bay’s needs on a scale of 1-through-10.
CORNERBACK (9.0)
The Packers’ only move to address their gaping hole at cornerback during free agency was adding Benjamin St-Juste, who couldn't hold onto a starting job in Washington or win a starting position with the Los Angeles Chargers.
So for now, Green Bay’s frontrunners to start at corner would be last year’s duo of inconsistent Keisean Nixon and overmatched Carrington Valentine. Yikes!
By the time Green Bay is on the clock at No. 52, Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy and Colton Hood, and LSU’s Mansoor Delane will be long gone. South Carolina’s Brandon Cisse, San Diego State’s Chris Johnson and Indiana’s D’Angelo Ponds are likely to be off the board, as well.
Players such as Clemson’s Avieon Terrell, Ohio State’s Davison Igbinosun, Miami’s Keionte Scott and Georgia’s Daylen Everette have a decent chance of falling to No. 52 and could be intriguing.
No one in Packer Nation would feel good about running it back with Nixon and Valentine. So look for Gutekunst to almost certainly use his second- or third round pick on a corner.
NOSE TACKLE (8.5)
Under new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, Green Bay is transitioning back to the 3-4 base defense it ran under Joe Barry instead of the 4-3 it utilized the last two years with Jeff Hafley. While the Packers will still play nickel the overwhelming majority of snaps, they need a mammoth run-stuffer on early base downs.
Devonte Wyatt and free agent acquisition Javon Hargrave (6-2, 305) are better suited to be 3-4 ends than nose tackles. Inexperienced Nazir Stackhouse (6-4, 327) and 2025 street free agent signee Jordon Riley (6-5, 338) have the girth, but have proven little.
There will be a handful of space eaters taken in the first 40 picks because the top ones are few and far between. But the Packers could target someone like Iowa State’s Domonique Orange (6-2, 322), Florida State’s Darrell Jackson (6-5, 315), Florida’s Caleb Banks (6-6, 327) or South Carolina’s Nick Barrett (6-6, 313) at No. 52.
OFFENSIVE LINE (8.0)
Green Bay released center/guard Elgton Jenkins and lost left tackle Rasheed Walker in free agency this offseason. Therefore, depth is non-existent behind starters (from left) Jordan Morgan, Aaron Banks, Sean Rhyan, Anthony Belton and Zach Tom.
Gutekunst drafted three offensive linemen in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2024. And he’s taken 16 offensive linemen in his first eight drafts, more than any other position.
Don’t be surprised if Gutekunst adds two more this year as he tries restocking a group that’s been picked apart in free agency the last three offseasons.
RUNNING BACK (6.0)
Josh Jacobs is 28 and has 1,840 career carries. Emanuel Wilson left for Seattle.
Chris Brooks is a third down back best used in pass protection. Marshawn Lloyd has played in just one game and a total of 10 snaps in two seasons.
Green Bay needs new blood, and could use a mid-round pick on someone like Penn State’s Nicholas Singleton, Nebraska’s Emmett Johnson or Alabama’s Jam Miller.
QUARTERBACK (5.0)
Malik Willis gave Green Bay arguably the top backup in football the last two seasons, before signing with Miami in free agency.
Right now, the top candidate to back up starter Jordan Love is Desmond Ridder (16 career TDs, 14 interceptions, 82.6 passer rating). Kyle McCord, who spent last season on Philadelphia’s practice squad and has never thrown an NFL pass, is also on the roster.
The Packers would undoubtedly love to add a draft pick to this mix. But with just seven picks — and far more pressing needs — Green Bay might have to ignore quarterback in this draft.
DEFENSIVE END (4.5)
If the Packers line either Devonte Wyatt or Javon Hargrave up on the nose, finding another end becomes a higher priority. If they can find a serviceable nose tackle in the draft, though, they’ll have a solid group of ends in Wyatt, Hargrave, Karl Brooks and Barryn Sorrell and this becomes far less of a need.
KICKER (4.0)
Brandon McManus had a rough 2025, missing both of his field goals attempts and an extra point during the Packers’ playoff meltdown vs. Chicago. Of kickers with at least 20 field goal attempts last year, McManus ranked a disappointing 24th in field goal percentage (80.0%, 24-of-30).
Green Bay gave McManus a three-year, $15.3 million contract last offseason, though, so he’s likely to return unless he struggles in training camp. If the Packers did choose to replace McManus, it would likely be with an undrafted player, not a draft pick.
TIGHT END (4.0)
Tucker Kraft will almost certainly receive a long-term extension before he can hit free agency in March, 2027. After that, though, there are questions with this group.
Luke Musgrave has one year left on his rookie contract and is unlikely to be resigned. Josh Whyle and Drake Dabney are role players, at best.
Green Bay could use a third day pick on someone like Ohio State blocking machine Will Kacmarek, Notre Dame’s Eli Raridon or Georgia’s Oscar Delp. With bigger holes to fill, odds are tight end won’t be addressed until the 2027 draft.
WIDE RECEIVER (3.0)
Christian Watson had a sensational return in 2025 from a torn ACL, and figures to be even better in 2026. Jayden Reed struggled with injuries in 2025 (19 catches), but led the Packers in receptions in 2023 and 2024.
If coach Matt LaFleur can figure out how to better use Matthew Golden, Green Bay’s 2025 first round pick could blossom. Second-year man Savion Williams should see an expanded role, while holdover Dontayvion Wicks is a serviceable No. 4 or 5 wideout.
Barring a surprise player falling in their laps, there’s little chance Green Bay takes a wide receiver.
LINEBACKER (2.5)
Overall, this is one of the strongest groups on the team.
Players like Micah Parsons and Lukas Van Ness will still operate primarily as edge rushers in Gannon’s new 3-4 defense, even though they’re now technically identified as outside linebackers. Inside backers Edgerrin Cooper and Zaire Franklin should provide a nifty duo, while reliable Isaiah McDuffie and Tyron Hopper provide depth.
The greatest question is when Parsons will be ready after tearing his ACL on Dec. 14.
SAFETY (2.0)
Green Bay’s starting pair of Evan Williams and Xavier McKinney rival most duos in football. And nickel back Javon Bullard is a rising star.
This is arguably the best positional group on the Packers’ roster.
KICKOFF/PUNT RETURNER (1.0)
Green Bay ranked last in the NFL in punt return average in 2025 (5.6 yards) and tied for 22nd in kickoff return average (25.2). But the addition of free agent Sky Moore should be a huge lift to these units.
The 25-year-old Moore, who played for San Francisco last season, ranked sixth in the NFL on kick returns in 2025 (27.5) and seventh on punt returns (11.6) last season. Moore should be a major upgrade from Romeo Doubs on punt returns (6.3) and Savion Williams on kickoff returns (25.6).
PUNTER (0.0)
Daniel Whelan led the NFL in gross average (51.7) and was fourth in net average (43.9). His job is almost as secure as Fort Knox.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com