The Green Bay Packers sat out of the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday night. Due to the trade last offseason for Micah Parsons, the Packers don’t have a selection until No. 52 overall in the second round.
Brian Gutekunst has his work cut out for him. He’ll need to find a way to improve Green Bay’s roster and fill multiple holes throughout the remainder of the draft.
Thankfully, there are a lot of very good players available on Day 2.
Some speculation has been swirling about the Packers being a potential trade up candidate. Gutekunst has shown a willingness over the years to move around in the draft. Could that happen again this year?
Keeping that in mind, Green Bay’s general manager spoke out about his plans in round two.
Packers GM Opens Up Honestly About Round 2 Draft Plans
During his meeting with the press on Thursday night, Gutekunst spoke out about the second round. He’s expecting things to get a bit chaotic, but seems very happy with how the draft board is looking.
“I think obviously… all the players that we have stacked where we’re excited about. But kind of the top of the second round is always a little bit chaotic. Everybody has a whole night to sleep on things, and people get panicky,” Gutekunst said.
“And then there’s all kinds of trades at times at the top of the second round, there always has been… it’ll be interesting how the first 10 to 15 picks happen tomorrow, and see if anybody gets close enough that we feel we may want to go up, but we feel pretty confident that we can stick where we’re at and take a good player.”
Basically, Gutekunst is making it clear that he’s open to the idea of being aggressive if a player he likes falls far enough. However, he isn’t feeling pressure to make a move.
What Needs Does Green Bay Have to Target?
As of right now, there are a few different needs that the Packers must look to fill before the NFL Draft concludes.
Obviously, the team needs a cornerback. Gutekunst has made comments about being comfortable with the current makeup of the room, but last season was a clear sign that Green Bay needs more help in the secondary.
There is also a need for a nose tackle and potentially another pass rusher.
On the offensive side of the football, the Packers need a backup quarterback. They also need a backup running back and could use a wide receiver due to only having two under contract past the 2026 NFL season.
Expect to hear a lot of rumors and speculation about Green Bay as the start of the second round draws closer. Gutekunst is clearly open for business, but the Packers feel very confident that they’ll be able to get an impact player at pick No. 52.
Packers GM Sends Strong Message About Round 2 Draft Plans