Getty The Green Bay Packers could take another outside linebacker in the 2023 NFL Draft while Rashan Gary rehabs from his torn ACL.
The Green Bay Packers are doing their homework on the 2023 NFL Draft, and general manager Brian Gutekunst could reunite one of the top pass-rushers in this year’s class with a handful of his former college teammates.
Mock drafts have been consistent with positions for the Packers in the first round over the past few weeks. Given the team’s current roster, most mock drafts have had the Packers taking a swing on either a tight end or a pass rusher, which lines up with the talent at the top of this year’s draft class.
The Packers seem to agree, bringing in the likes of Georgia tight end Darnell Washington in for official top-30 visits. However, Mike Renner with Pro Football Focus has a different Georgia prospect in mind for the Packers in the first round, having them take the talented outside linebacker Nolan Smith in his latest mock draft.
“Smith fits the Packers’ newest first-round mold of ‘elite athletes from Georgia,'” Renner said. “He is exactly what a team should want in a modern undersized run defender with his ability to track down plays in space.”
Do The Packers Need Another EDGE?
It may not seem like the biggest need at the moment, but given the long-term outlook for the position and the level of talent at the position in the 2023 draft, the Packers may try to take an EDGE early.
Rashan Gary’s health remains the biggest reason why the Packers might look at an outside linebacker early. The former first-round pick suffered a torn ACL in Week 9 of last season against the Detroit Lions, and given that the injury happened in November, it’s a long shot for Gary to be ready for the start of the 2023 season.
From a long-term outlook, the Packers could use another dominant EDGE alongside Gary. Preston Smith has been a very reliable starter for the Packers, particularly against the run, but at 30 years old he could start to see a decline in play in the coming seasons.
There is some hope for rookie JJ Enagbare, who stepped up in Gary’s absence last season. However, as a fifth-round pick in 2022, the 23-year-old could be best utilized in a rotational role for the Packers.
Outside of those three, the Packers have few promising options at the moment. The team brought back Justin Hollins on a one-year deal after he showed flashes late last season. However, it doesn’t seem like he has the dominance to be a long-term option for the Packers.
There are some current options on the table for the Packers as Gary rehabs from his injury, but a team that’s lacked depth at EDGE could benefit from taking a player at the position early in this year’s draft.
Latest on Aaron Rodgers
It’s been a long couple of weeks for Packers fans as they wait on a trade that will send Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets. However, that long wait could be coming to a close.
After Gutekunst’s comments at NFL owner meetings in Phoenix, signs pointed to a trade happening sooner rather than later. Peter King with NBC Sports gave Packers fans even more hope on that front, reporting that he expected the deadline for a deal to get done being April 28, or the second day of the 2023 NFL Draft.
A trade could happen before then, but until it’s finalized, Packers fans will be anxiously waiting for a resolution to the Rodgers drama.