Packers 2021 pre-draft preview: Don’t draft a quarterback

To the Green Bay Packers,

Don’t draft a quarterback. I’m just putting that out there early because I know Brian Gutekunst might be tempted to trade up.

It was one of the shocks of the offseason when the Packers drafted Jordan Love a year ago, a decision still met with mixed views from the fans.

As we continue to preview each position group ahead of the draft, our next stop is quarterback.

Free agency recap

The Packers didn’t re-sign backup quarterback Tim Boyle, who instead signed a deal with the Detroit Lions.

Need in the draft?

Nope.

Some would argue that was also true a year ago but it didn’t stop the Packers. But after drafting Jordan Love to be the future face of the franchise, and with Aaron Rodgers coming off another MVP season, Green Bay shouldn’t be in the mix for a quarterback in this month’s draft.

Draft outlook

While we shouldn’t expect the Packers to be involved in the quarterback search, unless it’s in the seventh-round or following the draft, how the rest of the league drafts QBs will have an impact.

Many mock drafts have the first four picks all being quarterbacks. A recent mock by Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports has five QBs coming off the board before Green Bay picks at No. 29. The Packers should have no problem with that as it means first-round talent at non-QB positions fall further down the board.

If as many as four QBs are gone early on, the potential of a top-20 talent falling into range for Green Bay to trade up increases. And given Brian Gutekunst’s history of trading up in the first round, it could play perfectly into the Packers’ hands.

While Green Bay might not be involved in the search for a quarterback this year, the depth of the position early on could have an impact on who falls to No. 29.