Getty Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers reacts during the game against the San Francisco 49ers in NFC Divisional Playoff game at Lambeau Field on January 22, 2022 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
The Green Bay Packers could finally break their two-decade streak of not selecting a wide receiver in the first round of the NFL draft this week, but it doesn’t sound like they are willing to reach if the right guy isn’t there.
According to Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network, sources from league circles have told him the Packers are looking to take a wide receiver with one of their two first-round selections in the 2022 NFL draft — but only if “a highly rated player at the position falls into their laps.”
“Otherwise, sources say they expect the Packers to trade out of Round 1 and look for a receiver later in the draft,” Pauline wrote in his April 25 write-up for the draft.
The Packers have both the No. 22 and No. 28 overall selections in this year’s draft, having acquired an additional first- and second-round pick from the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for two-time All-Pro wideout Davante Adams. They also have two picks in the fourth and three picks in the seventh, giving them plenty of ammunition to move up to a more favorable spot on Day 1 to get one of the top receivers on their board.
The Packers have already met with a handful of receiver prospects who could potentially be in play for them in the first round. The list — via Walter Football — includes Alabama’s Jameson Williams, Ohio State’s Chris Olave, Arkansas’ Treylon Burks, Georgia’s George Pickens, Penn State’s Jahan Dotson and North Dakota State’s Christian Watson (per Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated).
The 2022 NFL draft begins at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 28 and will run for three days with the first round taking up the entirety of the first day.
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Gutekunst Has History of Trading in Round 1
History shows Brian Gutekunst isn’t afraid to make trades during the draft. In his first year as the Packers’ general manager in 2018, he traded down in the first round before trading back up again and taking current All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander. He also moved up from the No. 30 spot in back-to-back years, grabbing safety Darnell Savage Jr. at No. 21 overall in 2019 and quarterback Jordan Love at No. 26 overall in 2020.
While the Packers didn’t make a first-round trade in the 2021 draft, they still found a deal worth making on Day 2 when they sent their third- and fourth-round picks to the Tennessee Titans to move up from No. 92 to No. 85 for wide receiver Amari Rodgers.
Now, trends like this don’t do much for predicting whether a team will specifically trade up or down, but it does show how aggressive Gutekunst is willing to be when it comes to getting the guy he wants. So while it is understandable to think the Packers would explore moving down into the early parts of the second round if one of their top guys doesn’t fall to them, it is just as reasonable to think they could move up if they find the right opportunity.
The Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots are two of the cleanest potential trade-up partners for the Packers. The Eagles have a pair of first-round picks clumped together in the middle of the opening round (Nos. 15 and 18), while Bill Belichick is a huge fan of trading down. As for trading down, the Packers would likely want to target a spot before their receiver-needy rivals in Chicago at No. 39, which could make the New York Jets and Houston Texans suitable partners.