Packers could turn to NFL Supplemental Draft for defensive help
By Andrew Cox
Could the Green Bay Packers look to strengthen their secondary in the NFL Supplemental Draft?
On July 11 at 1 p.m. ET, the 2018 NFL Supplemental Draft will commence, but unlike the past few seasons, this year could see a few players chosen. With new general manager Brian Gutekunst in charge of the Green Bay Packers, could we see the team make headlines and take a player?
The Green Bay Packers haven’t used the Supplemental Draft to add a player to their roster since 1998 when they used a second round draft choice to acquire guard Mike Wahle out of Navy.
Wahle turned out to be a valuable starting guard for the Packers, playing eight seasons with the team before leaving for the Carolina Panthers, where he would go on to have a Pro Bowl season in 2005.
This year’s eligible group of players could intrigue Gutekunst and the Packers due to the top three “draftable talent(s),” according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, being defensive backs.
Those players include: Western Michigan cornerback Sam Beal, Virginia Tech cornerback Adonis Alexander, and Mississippi State defensive back Brandon Bryant.
The Packers went into the offseason with a glaring need for defensive back help, and made moves through free agency and the NFL draft to attempt to shore up their roster. Notably, the team added former Pro Bowler Tramon Williams, as well as used their first two picks in the draft to select cornerbacks Jaire Alexander and Josh Jackson.
Will these moves be enough to give the Packers’ coaching staff confidence in the defensive backfield, or will they attempt to add another DB to the mix?
“We’re not going to leave any stone unturned as far as every avenue of player acquisition,” Gutekunst said during his introductory press conference.
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And with Gutekunst already once demonstrating his willingness to try unconventional methods of player acquisition this offseason — signing Chicago Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller to an offer sheet back in March — could he try again on Wednesday?