What the Green Bay Packers should have done this offseason
By Evan Siegel
Round 4: Joshua Dobbs (QB Tennessee)
This one may come as a surprise, but Dobbs would have been a sneaky good selection for the Packers in the fourth round.
While Brett Hundley is still the undisputed backup to Aaron Rodgers, Joe Callahan is not going to be on the team for much longer.
The undrafted project from Wesley has been an overachiever during his time in the NFL, but the Packers should understand that he is not a long-term option for the practice squad. Dobbs has superstar potential.
An incredibly strong arm combined with gifted football IQ made him one of the very best quarterbacks in this entire draft class. Brett Hundley may also be looking for a starting gig somewhere else, and could net the Packers a draft pick in the future.
You can never have enough good quarterbacks.
One also has to account for the uncertainty surrounding Brett Hundley. The Packers would be wise to trade Hundley before too long as he could net them a high draft pick.
Sure, the Packers would have a tough time keeping Dobbs to the active roster and using a precious roster spot on him as the number three quarterback.
But in the end, an extremely talented quarterback was available for the Packers in the fourth round, and you simply have to take advantage of that opportunity.
Round 5: David Godchaux (DT, LSU)
This is where the Packers could look to add some depth to their defensive line. Montravious Adams showed freakish ability at Auburn, but his injury history and the signing of Jean-Francois allows the Packers to put off selecting a defensive tackle for a few more rounds.
Godchaux was an under the radar player at LSU. A big, strong nose tackle, the gifted run defender could come in and immediately provide the same production as the team got out of Letroy Guion.
A defensive line featuring Mike Daniels, Kenny Clark, and Ricky Jean-Francois is an exciting development for the often suspect Packers run defense, and adding Godchaux would have made it more intriguing.
Round 6: Jordan Evans (LB, Oklahoma)
Inside linebacker has been an issue in Green Bay since Nick Barnett played his last snap as a Packer.
Yes, it’s been that long since the Packers had a quality starting player at inside linebacker. While there is still plenty of optimism surrounding Blake Martinez and Jake Ryan, more depth is needed. Joe Thomas continues to be an up-and-down player, while Jordan Tripp is a long shot to make the team.
Evans had a good career at Oklahoma, where he showed a strong ability to cover tight ends.
This is important for a Packers team facing Eric Ebron, Kyle Rudolph, and Brandon Pettrigrew within the division.
Evans is an old-school middle linebacker who could have given Green Bay what they have been lacking for all too long at inside linebacker.
Evans could come in and play the Sam Barrington role in Green Bay. A project, Evans has a long way to go before he is a consistent starter in the NFL, but adding projects this late in the draft is not a mistake.
Round 7: Devante Mays (RB, Utah State)
Despite signing Peterson and investing a high draft pick into Alvin Kamara, Devante Mays still makes sense at this point in the draft.
A fourth running back is important for a team that has needed depth at the position for all too long. Eddie Lacy was often injured, and Christine Michael, Don Jackson, and James Starks is not exactly a winning formula for a team trying to take pressure off of Aaron Rodgers.
Mays is a physical runner with extreme lower body strength. If all goes well, Mays has the potential to become a Michael Turner-type of player in the NFL. With massive thighs and a bruising running style, one almost sees a physical resemblance to Earl Campbell.
Ted Thompson also has to realize how bad the team has suffered at running back. Depth must be addressed once and for all, as the team cannot go into a clash with an NFC foe with only one healthy running back, as they did against the Cowboys.
Round 7: Malachi Dupre (WR, LSU)
The Packers are always adding to the receiving corp. Jeff Janis isn’t getting any better and Davante Adams is a free agent.
While Dupre is very raw, he showed the ability to be a very well-rounded wide receiver while at LSU. Dupre has the athleticism to handle short routes while also has the footwork and speed to get down the field.
Dupre is another low risk-high reward player that could be a find in the seventh round. Thompson made the right pick taking Dupre, as the uncertainty at the end of the depth chart, combined with the solid fundamental skills of Dupre, made him an ideal pick.