Green Bay Packers get 12th overall pick in 2019 NFL Draft

With the regular season complete, the Green Bay Packers officially own the 12th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.

Entering the final week of the season, we knew the Packers would be picking somewhere between 10th and 17th in the opening round of the 2019 NFL Draft. We now know their selection will be 12th overall next April.

If there’s one positive to take away from Sunday’s embarrassing loss to the Detroit Lions, it’s that the Packers receive a higher draft pick as a result.

Green Bay will also receive the New Orleans Saints’ first-round selection, which will be no higher than 28th as the Saints have secured a first-round bye in the playoffs.

With two first-round selections, including one inside the top-12, along with some tough decisions to make in free agency, the 2019 Green Bay Packers could look a lot different than the 2018 version. And that’s probably a good thing.

This will be the Packers’ highest draft pick in 10 years. Last year they had the 14th overall pick before trading down.

Assuming they stay at 12, it will be their highest selection since 2009, when they used the ninth overall pick to draft B.J. Raji. They also had two first-rounders that season, using the 26th overall pick on Clay Matthews.

The Packers have used their first pick on defense for the past seven years. Will that change in 2019, or will general manager Brian Gutekunst use this opportunity to land a top defensive talent? Green Bay needs to strengthen its pass rush this offseason, and will also be searching for help at the safety position.

But it’s also possible the Packers will look to address the offensive line early and often in the draft, and they could use the 12th pick to select one of the top offensive linemen in the class.

There will be a number of possibilities when the Packers hit the clock next spring. All we know right now is that it’s the team’s highest selection in a decade.