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The Green Bay Packers made eight picks in the 2025 NFL draft: Two at wide receiver, two along the offensive line, two at edge rusher and one each at defensive tackle and cornerback. While the order might not have been expected, the numbers coming out of the 2025 draft align nicely with the team's biggest roster needs.
As was the case last season, the team's roster construction entering the draft allowed Brian Gutekunst to bypass some other positions in favor of primary needs. The Packers follow their draft board and don't reach for needs, but the players they did draft do help tell a story in terms of short-term and long-term roster building.
So, why didn't the Packers make big draft investments at quarterback, running back, tight end, cornerback or safety? Let's dig in.
For the third consecutive season, the Packers waited until the seventh round to pick a cornerback. Spending the 237th overall pick on Micah Robinson can hardly be viewed as an investment at a premium position, even if a player like Carrington Valentine -- a seventh-rounder in 2023 -- has become a useful player. Incredibly, the Packers still haven't taken a cornerback before the seventh round since 2021. Like last year, the Packers' inactivity early at cornerback tells the tale -- the team likes this position group far more than outsiders, even with Jaire Alexander's status still unknown. Might the Packers and Alexander reconcile? It still seems unlikely. Valentine, Keisean Nixon, Nate Hobbs and even safety/slot Javon Bullard figure to play most of the snaps at cornerback for Jeff Hafley and the Packers in 2025.
Risk level: Moderate to high. The talent level here is lacking, especially if/when Alexander departs. The Packers covered fine late in the season with Nixon, Valentine and Bullard as the preferred starters, and the team really likes Hobbs as an inside/out cover man. But it's hard to get too excited about this group as is. It's lacking true difference-makers and depth. Will Kalen King or Kamal Hadden take a big step and become a player the Packers can count on in 2025? It's hard to imagine Robinson -- a 183-pound corner who played just one season at Tulane -- contributing right away. The Packers are taking a risk relying on this current group at such an important position entering a season with Super Bowl aspirations.
No surprise here, even if the Packers have previously said they want to draft a quarterback every year. With Jordan Love signed long-term, Malik Willis returning after an encouraging first season as the backup and Sean Clifford entering Year 3 in Green Bay, the Packers are well-positioned at quarterback for 2025. The questions come after this year, when Willis is scheduled to hit free agency. The long-term plan at backup quarterback is a problem for a different day.
Risk level: Low. Drafting a quarterback this year probably would have meant keeping three on the 53-man roster, and the Packers probably don't want to do that with Love and Willis entrenched at the top. Expect the Packers to bring in a fourth arm at some point before training camp -- possibly undrafted rookie Taylor Elgersma, who is coming to minicamp on a tryout basis.
No surprise here either. Tucker Kraft is ascending, Luke Musgrave is returning after losing most of 2024 to an injury, and both Ben Sims and John FitzPatrick have experience as the No. 3 tight end for Matt LaFleur. To draft a tight end, the Packers would have needed to know they could come in and beat out Sims and FitzPatrick for a job. That's a hard sell, especially when you have only eight total picks.
Risk level: Low. Musgrave's injury history is a concern, but this group as a whole is entering a sweet spot in terms of experience and development at tight end. It takes this position a few years to get settled in the pro game, and Kraft, Musgrave, Sims and FitzPatrick are all in the Year 3/4 range entering 2025. Messiah Swinson is a player to watch this summer -- he was impressive as a blocker as a rookie in camp last year, and he spent some time on the Panthers' 53-man roster.
The 2025 class was a good one for running backs, but the Packers are in such good shape at the position that only a few undrafted free agent signings post-draft was required for numbers. Josh Jacobs, Emanuel Wilson, Chris Brooks and 2024 third-round pick MarShawn Lloyd give the Packers an impressive four-deep depth chart at running back.
Risk level: Low. Jacobs is coming off a Pro Bowl season, Wilson was efficient and productive in a backup role, Brooks has a useful skill set and Lloyd possesses unreal potential if he can stay on the field following a nightmare rookie season. The undrafted class (as reported) features a couple of intriguing rookies, so the running back position looks really strong at this point of the offseason.
This might be the best position on the roster, which is incredible to say considering the Packers rebuilt the position from the ground up last offseason. Xavier McKinney is an All-Pro, Evan Williams and Javon Bullard are returning after starting on defense as rookies, Kitan Oladapo and Omar Brown have real potential after a strong finish to their rookie seasons, and Zayne Anderson is a core special teamer who proved he can play in Hafley's system.
Risk level: Low. There's no guarantee that Williams, Bullard and Oladapo will progress linearly, and banking on young players to keep getting better has burned the Packers at positions before. But McKinney is a strong stabilizing force and the depth at safety is considerable.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Why didn't the Packers invest at these 5 position groups, including CB, during 2025 draft?
Continue reading...
As was the case last season, the team's roster construction entering the draft allowed Brian Gutekunst to bypass some other positions in favor of primary needs. The Packers follow their draft board and don't reach for needs, but the players they did draft do help tell a story in terms of short-term and long-term roster building.
So, why didn't the Packers make big draft investments at quarterback, running back, tight end, cornerback or safety? Let's dig in.
Cornerback
For the third consecutive season, the Packers waited until the seventh round to pick a cornerback. Spending the 237th overall pick on Micah Robinson can hardly be viewed as an investment at a premium position, even if a player like Carrington Valentine -- a seventh-rounder in 2023 -- has become a useful player. Incredibly, the Packers still haven't taken a cornerback before the seventh round since 2021. Like last year, the Packers' inactivity early at cornerback tells the tale -- the team likes this position group far more than outsiders, even with Jaire Alexander's status still unknown. Might the Packers and Alexander reconcile? It still seems unlikely. Valentine, Keisean Nixon, Nate Hobbs and even safety/slot Javon Bullard figure to play most of the snaps at cornerback for Jeff Hafley and the Packers in 2025.
Risk level: Moderate to high. The talent level here is lacking, especially if/when Alexander departs. The Packers covered fine late in the season with Nixon, Valentine and Bullard as the preferred starters, and the team really likes Hobbs as an inside/out cover man. But it's hard to get too excited about this group as is. It's lacking true difference-makers and depth. Will Kalen King or Kamal Hadden take a big step and become a player the Packers can count on in 2025? It's hard to imagine Robinson -- a 183-pound corner who played just one season at Tulane -- contributing right away. The Packers are taking a risk relying on this current group at such an important position entering a season with Super Bowl aspirations.
Quarterback
No surprise here, even if the Packers have previously said they want to draft a quarterback every year. With Jordan Love signed long-term, Malik Willis returning after an encouraging first season as the backup and Sean Clifford entering Year 3 in Green Bay, the Packers are well-positioned at quarterback for 2025. The questions come after this year, when Willis is scheduled to hit free agency. The long-term plan at backup quarterback is a problem for a different day.
Risk level: Low. Drafting a quarterback this year probably would have meant keeping three on the 53-man roster, and the Packers probably don't want to do that with Love and Willis entrenched at the top. Expect the Packers to bring in a fourth arm at some point before training camp -- possibly undrafted rookie Taylor Elgersma, who is coming to minicamp on a tryout basis.
Tight end
No surprise here either. Tucker Kraft is ascending, Luke Musgrave is returning after losing most of 2024 to an injury, and both Ben Sims and John FitzPatrick have experience as the No. 3 tight end for Matt LaFleur. To draft a tight end, the Packers would have needed to know they could come in and beat out Sims and FitzPatrick for a job. That's a hard sell, especially when you have only eight total picks.
Risk level: Low. Musgrave's injury history is a concern, but this group as a whole is entering a sweet spot in terms of experience and development at tight end. It takes this position a few years to get settled in the pro game, and Kraft, Musgrave, Sims and FitzPatrick are all in the Year 3/4 range entering 2025. Messiah Swinson is a player to watch this summer -- he was impressive as a blocker as a rookie in camp last year, and he spent some time on the Panthers' 53-man roster.
Running back
The 2025 class was a good one for running backs, but the Packers are in such good shape at the position that only a few undrafted free agent signings post-draft was required for numbers. Josh Jacobs, Emanuel Wilson, Chris Brooks and 2024 third-round pick MarShawn Lloyd give the Packers an impressive four-deep depth chart at running back.
Risk level: Low. Jacobs is coming off a Pro Bowl season, Wilson was efficient and productive in a backup role, Brooks has a useful skill set and Lloyd possesses unreal potential if he can stay on the field following a nightmare rookie season. The undrafted class (as reported) features a couple of intriguing rookies, so the running back position looks really strong at this point of the offseason.
Safety
This might be the best position on the roster, which is incredible to say considering the Packers rebuilt the position from the ground up last offseason. Xavier McKinney is an All-Pro, Evan Williams and Javon Bullard are returning after starting on defense as rookies, Kitan Oladapo and Omar Brown have real potential after a strong finish to their rookie seasons, and Zayne Anderson is a core special teamer who proved he can play in Hafley's system.
Risk level: Low. There's no guarantee that Williams, Bullard and Oladapo will progress linearly, and banking on young players to keep getting better has burned the Packers at positions before. But McKinney is a strong stabilizing force and the depth at safety is considerable.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Why didn't the Packers invest at these 5 position groups, including CB, during 2025 draft?
Continue reading...
