The NFL Draft is just over a week away, and while every team looks to improve, there may be some extra pressure on the Green Bay Packers to hit a home run this year.
There is an added layer of anticipation between signing Jordan Love to a massive extension last summer and wanting to make a big splash in front of their home fans in Green Bay.
While Green Bay would certainly like to add a receiver at some point in the draft, the team desperately needs to add on the defensive end. The Packers have uncertainty at cornerback, specifically whether the team trades Jaire Alexander, and a need for consistency in the pass rush.
The Packers have hosted many defensive players on Top 30 visits. They would likely need to trade up to land some of them, while others could fall to No. 23 overall.
Potential targets for Packers if they trade in first round (or stay at No. 23)
Trade up: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
If Green Bay plans to trade up, it will be for an immediate impact player. While this would likely guarantee the end of the Jaire Alexander era in Green Bay, Johnson would be a solid replacement. He is taller and just as good in man coverage.
There is some concern about Johnson's injury history. His 2024 season at Michigan ended with a turf toe injury after six games. He still managed to lead the team in interceptions and was named a third-team All-American. Johnson is an incredible athlete with lockdown corner potential.
Stay put at No. 23: James Pearce, Edge, Tennessee
Pass rush is a key need for the Packers. While the team finished in the top 10 for sacks last season, the attack was incredibly inconsistent. A third of Green Bay's sacks came in two games, a stat that embodies an all-or-nothing pass-rush attack. Rashan Gary led the team with 7.5 sacks, tied for 36th in the league.
James Pearce Jr. is an uber-athletic edge-rusher who attacks with a fast first step, making him hard to block by pass blockers and run blockers alike. As a junior, he was first-team All-SEC, finishing with 7.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss. While Pearce is a bit smaller than most NFL pass rushers at 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds, he makes up for that with an impressive 9.38 Relative Athletic Score.
Trade down: Trey Amos, CB, Ole Miss
Trey Amos is another cornerback option for the Packers, and he could be available if the team trades down to the end of the first round or early into the second. Green Bay hosted Amos on a Top 30 visit and has been linked to him in numerous mock drafts.
Amos stands at 5-foot-11 and ran a 4.43-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. After starting his career at Louisiana, Amos transferred to Alabama, and then Ole Miss, where he went on to become a first-team All-SEC. He led Ole Miss with three interceptions and registered 50 tackles and a forced fumble.
At the NFL level, he has the size and footwork to play at a high level. He plays longer than his frame would indicate and can press at the line of scrimmage. Most importantly, given Green Bay's needs, he has the potential to be a plus starter at outside corner, which the team already lacks, and that is with Jaire Alexander still on the roster.