The Green Bay Packers aren’t ruling out the possibility of finding their next franchise quarterback in the upcoming 2020 NFL Draft.
According to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst answered “sure” when asked if he would consider using the team’s No. 30 overall pick in the first round to draft a quarterback, acknowledging the “good crop” of aspiring NFL passers on the board in 2020.
“You guys have heard me say this before: Everything I’ve been taught, that’s where you start, you start with the quarterback,” Gutekunst said, via Demovsky. “So you evaluate them every year, and I think it’s always on the table. It’s a good crop this year. It’s a good group of quarterbacks. I think it’s a little deeper than it has been in the past. It will be interesting.”
The Packers wouldn’t be looking for an immediate replacement for current starter Aaron Rodgers, who is signed to play through the 2023 season, but rather a young arm to develop behind him as they managed to do successfully with him and predecessor Brett Favre more than a decade ago. Rodgers is now a year older than Favre was when the Packers drafted Rodgers in 2005, after which he sat behind Favre for three seasons before taking the reins.
Some of the top 2020 quarterback prospects figure to be off the board before the middle of the first round, but there are a few promising options who could still be around when the Packers pick at No. 30. The Packers could also potentially move up for a better position in the first round if they exchange some of their draft capital, as they are currently sitting at 10 picks for 2020.
“I think it’s such an important part of what makes this thing go. It’s quarterbacks,” Gutekunst said. “I know what you’re saying. Aaron didn’t play for three years and for three years people were probably saying, well, that was a total waste. I just don’t think developing a young quarterback is a waste. You just don’t know when the time is going to be when you’re going to need him.”
Follow the Heavy on Packers Facebook page for the latest breaking news, rumors and content!
Current Backup QBs Not Enough for Packers
The conversation about the Packers’ future at quarterback is bound to continue even if they don’t draft a new passer in 2020. Right now, they really don’t have any other viable options.
Tim Boyle is fine as a backup quarterback, but the Packers would have likely ended up in an entirely different place in 2019 if he had been needed to carry the offense. To put it into perspective, Boyle was the third-string option behind DeShone Kizer when he was first signed in 2018 and only saw his first regular-season snaps this year in garbage time.
The Packers’ only other option is Manny Wilkins, who spent his entire 2019 rookie season on the practice squad. He could potentially push Boyle for his backup spot in next season’s training camp, but neither have them have showcased enough talent to earn consideration as Rodgers’ successor.
It is quite possible the Packers hit the free-agent market to find their next quarterback or at least take a chance on a young quarterback in the league who still has some developmental potential. Someone such as Josh Rosen — who floundered his first two seasons in bad situations with both Arizona and Miami — could be worth a cheap investment if they believe spending time learning behind Rodgers could help him realize his potential.
The Packers signed a record-breaking $134 million contract with Rodgers in 2018 and have him inked to spend his next four seasons in Green Bay, but they could move on from him as early as 2022 with a potential out following the end of the 2021 season, according to Spotrac.
READ NEXT: Packers Flip Script on Plan for Allen Lazard for 2020 & Beyond
Packers Won’t Rule Out Taking QB Early in 2020 NFL Draft