Packers: Three ways they can win the 2021 NFL Draft

2. Trade up, trade up, trade up

Brian Gutekunst hardly needs convincing having traded up in the first round in all three of his drafts to this point, but it would be a smart strategy to move up again. It doesn’t necessarily need to happen in the first round, but Gutekunst should be willing to be bold and jump up the order for a prospect he likes.

We often hear about drafting for need or taking the best player available, but things change when you trade up. If there’s a prospect Gutekunst believes can make a difference for the Packers, likely at a position of need, and he feels there’s a real possibility to make a trade, he shouldn’t hesitate to do it.

Imagine the Packers hadn’t traded up for Jaire Alexander in 2018. He’s become an All-Pro. They traded up again for Darnell Savage a year later and he looks well on his way to a Pro Bowl in the near future.

If a top cornerback like Greg Newsome II is still on the board early in the 20s, Gutekunst shouldn’t get off the phone until he’s found a trade partner.

It’s easy to say to trade up. A fair deal needs to be agreed and that requires another team to be willing to move down, and for a prospect the Packers love to fall to a range they can realistically move to.

But if the opportunity presents itself, the Packers should take full advantage.