Dexter Lawrence is now a Cincinnati Bengal, so he won't be coming to fill the Green Bay Packers' void at nose tackle. The Bengals gave up the No. 10 pick in this year's draft. Turns out it was never a realistic option for the Packers.
With no bailout coming via trade, the Packers must commit to drafting a defensive tackle early if they're serious about addressing the roster's most glaring need. By the time they hit the clock late in the third round, most appealing choices will be gone. Each round further down decreases the likelihood of drafting a rookie who can impact plays off the bat.
Lawrence is off the table. Free agent DJ Reader, who once seemed like a perfect fit for the Packers, is expected to join the Giants after the draft.
Maybe the Packers will wade into the pool of remaining free agents later on, but rather than counting on a deal that may not materialize, they should enter the NFL Draft with a clear sense of urgency to address the position early.
Packers must look to the draft for a solution at nose tackle
In practice, that means striking before Day 2 is over. Options at No. 52 may be limited. The first batch of prospects - Peter Woods, Caleb Banks, Christen Miller - are projected to fall in the top 50.
One name who seems more likely to be there is Texas Tech's Lee Hunter, a polarizing prospect who nonetheless remains a plausible Packers target. If he isn't, prospect rankings suggest general manager Brian Gutekunst may effectively have three moves to ensure he lands a nose tackle of choice: reach at No. 52, trade back into the early third, or move up from No. 84 after targeting a different position earlier.
Domonique Orange is a candidate for all three outcomes. Some mock drafts have had Gutekunst taking Orange at 52nd overall. That's definitely a reach, but if that's the only way the Packers get the nose tackle they want, it's not the worst thing in the world.
Letting the third round pass them idly by could leave them handcuffed. Maybeee Orange falls to 84th. Maybe the Packers sneak out with Darrell Jackson Jr. That would be a home-run scenario after passing on earlier options.
Or maybe he's gone, too. Whereas Pro Football Network's consensus board ranks him 91st, ESPN analyst Jordan Reid has him going 74th to the Kansas City Chiefs.
By Day 3, upside will be severely capped. Although Kaleb Proctor is intriguing, he's more of a three-technique like Devonte Wyatt and Javon Hargrave. He doesn't have the size to play nose. Jordan van den Berg out of Georgia Tech is gaining steam, but as a projected seventh-rounder, asking him to contribute as a rookie would be a tall order.
Yet that's what the Packers need at nose tackle, given the current makeup of the roster. That doesn't mean they need an every-down starter. They do need someone who can give them some snaps and make occasional plays. Gutekunst will have a far better chance to find one on Day 2 than at any point afterward.
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