Four Packers mock drafts based on potential free agency outcomes

Who the Green Bay Packers draft will depend on what they do to fill their holes in free agency. Here are four drafts based on different scenarios.

When Ted Thompson was the general manager in Green Bay, it was a lot easier to predict what position the Packers would target in the NFL Draft. He rarely signed free agents, leaving the team to fill any holes with draft picks.

Now it’s not as easy, at least not before free agency. Current GM Brian Gutekunst said when he got the GM position, that he would explore all avenues to improve the team. He wasn’t kidding. He’s been very willing to spend money on positions of need.

He made Jimmy Graham the highest-paid tight end in the NFL a couple of seasons ago. He spent a ton of money on edge rushers in Za’Darius and Preston Smith last season, which worked out a lot better than the Graham signing. He also upgraded the secondary with Adrian Amos and the offensive line with Billy Turner. All four players were younger than 27 years old as well. Gutekunst is not afraid to spend money to make a position better.

But now because of that, it’s harder to have an idea of who the Packers might be targeting in the draft before free agency. Sure, we can read tweets about who they have met with at the Combine, but that doesn’t necessarily mean anything. They barely had contact Jaire Alexander at the Combine and ended up drafting him with their first pick in 2018.

The Packers’ draft could go many different ways based on what happens in free agency. I did four separate post-Combine mock drafts for four separate scenarios: if they sign a tight end (Austin Hooper), a linebacker (Cory Littleton), a receiver (Robby Anderson), or an offensive tackle (Bryan Bulaga/Jack Conklin).

I did each one using The Draft Network’s mock draft machine. There were no trades and I just drafted the players that were available at each pick.