The Green Bay Packers stumbled for the first time under head coach Matt LaFleur, missing the playoffs for the first time after being the first team in NFL history to win 13 games in three seasons in a row. The team had a laundry list of injuries to a number of key players — then-back-to-back NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers, All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari, linebacker Rashan Gary, All-Pro linebacker De’Vondre Campbell, and cornerback Eric Stokes — that contributed to breaking its historic, three-year run in LaFleur’s first three seasons.
The Packers started 2022 well, winning three of their first four contests, but then they lost seven of the following eight games from Weeks 5-12, setting the tone for the down year it was. Green Bay had a brief glimmer of hope following a four-game winning streak against the Bears, Rams, Dolphins and Vikings, but the Detroit Lions dashed those dreams by handing their divisional rival a 20-16 loss at home in the regular season finale. It was a disheartening performance in which the Packers offense couldn’t get out of its own way as fumbles and interceptions derailed potential go-ahead drives.
With an 8-9 record, the Packers were an average team in the first year without first-team All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams, scoring 21.8 points per game (14th in the league). That was expected as Rodgers attempted to gel with rookie wideouts Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs, the team’s second- and fourth-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft. The bigger disappointment was the defense, expected to be a top-five unit with all the first-round picks and money invested in that side of the ball. The unit allowed 21.8 points per game, ranking 17th in the NFL. The Packers own all of their own picks, excluding their sixth-rounder, and have a couple extra seventh-round selections, thanks to trades and compensatory picks. Here’s a look at how they should utilize those selections in the 2023 NFL Draft in order to get back on track.
|
1 (15) |
WR Quentin Johnston |
TCU |
|
2 (45) |
DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah |
Kansas State |
|
3 (78) |
S Jordan Battle |
Alabama |
|
4 (116) |
DT Kobie Turner |
Wake Forest |
|
5 (149) |
TE Davis Allen |
Clemson |
|
5 (170) |
DE Viliami Fehoko |
San Jose State |
|
7 (232) |
QB Clayton Tune |
Houston |
|
7 (235) |
TE Will Mallory |
Miami |
|
7 (242) |
WR/KR Derius Davis |
TCU |
|
7 (256) |
RB Mohamed Ibrahim |
Minnesota |
Round 1 (No. 15): WR Quentin Johnston, TCU
The Packers have the longest drought in the common draft era (since 1967)…
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