Getty The Green Bay Packers have plenty of safeties on their roster, which might be why former seventh-round pick Tariq Carpenter will be moving positions in 2023.
The Green Bay Packers didn’t get as much as they were hoping for from some of their late-round draft picks in 2022, but one of those rookies will have a chance at a fresh start at a new position in 2023.
Green Bay hosted a virtual draft party the night before the three-day event on Wednesday, April 26. The event featured a number of Packers player appearances, including seventh-round rookie Tariq Carpenter.
Although Carpenter was originally drafted as a safety prospect out of Georgia Tech, the rookie revealed that the team has been moving him around. After working out with safeties and outside linebackers last season, Carpenter shared that he’ll be moving to inside linebacker next season.
“I originally thought I was going to be playing linebacker, but Green Bay actually decided to let me play some safety whenever I first came in,” Carpenter said. “Now I got moved to linebacker, so I’ll be going into my second season playing my third position.”
Carpenter mainly served in a special teams role as a rookie, logging eight total tackles in 2022. Now, the 24-year-old will be competing for playing time at linebacker behind De’Vondre Campbell and Quay Walker.
The Packers Are Pretty Full on Safeties
Even with the move to linebacker with Carpenter, the Packers are still heading into draft weekend with a pretty crowded safety room.
Former first-round pick Darnell Savage highlights the group of safeties, but will be playing on his fifth-year option with an uncertain future in Green Bay. While Adrian Amos remains a free agent, familiar faces will still be coming back with the team re-signing part-time starter Rudy Ford and special teams staple Dallin Leavitt.
Along with bringing back some safeties, the Packers also signed another veteran in Tarvarius Moore to a one-year deal. While not a household name, Moore has been a key contributor on defense and special teams for the San Francisco 49ers.
Don’t count out the Packers drafting a safety this year, however. All of the deals that the Packers dished out at the position are one-year deals, meaning that the team will be back to square one in the 2024 offseason unless they take a swing on a long-term option in the draft like Illinois’ Sydney Brown or Alabama’s Jordan Battle.
Green Bay’s Biggest Draft Needs
Safety will certainly be on the list, but the Packers also have a couple more positions that need to be addressed in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Tight end will be at the top of the list, with Tyler Davis and Josiah Deguara currently the only players under contract at the position. Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst has done plenty of homework on this year’s tight end class, bringing in the top three all for top-30 visits including the massive TE Darnell Washington.
A successor to David Bakhtiari could also be on the table, with the former All-Pro revealing that he’s nearing retirement. The Packers brought in a potential first-round option in Tennessee’s Darnell Wright for a top-30 visit, and he’d be an option to start his career at right tackle before switching over once Bakhtiari’s time in Green Bay comes to an end.
Wide receiver and defensive line are some other needs for Green Bay, but until the Packers are on the clock, it’s hard to know which direction they’ll go during the three-day event.