Packers: Three trade-up targets in the 2020 NFL Draft

Patrick Queen in the first round

The Packers replaced Blake Martinez by signing free-agent Christian Kirksey but that doesn’t mean they won’t add another inside linebacker early in the draft. Patrick Queen should be a strong candidate for the Packers at No. 30 if he’s available but there’s a good chance he could be gone well before then.

Just like at safety and edge rusher last offseason, Green Bay could turn a weakness into a strength by adding Queen in the first round along with a healthy Kirksey.

Not only would Queen be able to help the Packers run defense improve, but he would give the defense a significant upgrade over Martinez in coverage. Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com wrote that “Queen is an undersized linebacker with outstanding burst, instincts and coverage ability”, and has him 15th in his rankings of this year’s draft class.

There isn’t much of a consensus among draft analysts about where Queen will be selected. He could be gone inside the top-15 picks but some analysts don’t even believe he’ll be picked on Day 1. My guess is he’ll be selected somewhere in the 20s, or perhaps slightly earlier at No. 19 to the Oakland Raiders.

If he falls far enough, the Packers should consider moving up.