The Green Bay Packers have several needs to address in the 2026 NFL Draft. The good news is that they have more than enough ammo to take care of them after trading wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks to the Philadelphia Eagles. The bad news is that the Packers don't have a first-round selection after the Micah Parsons trade last year.
While Green Bay acquired a 2026 fifth-round selection (and sixth next year), there's a chance that, barring a trade, many of the prospects that general manager Brian Gutekunst has set his sights on will be gone by the time they're on the clock at No. 52.
This means that the Packers better hope the draft breaks perfectly for them to come out of Round 2 with a game-altering talent.
The Packers had better hope there isn't a Round 1 run on cornerbacks
The interior defensive line and corner are arguably the Packers' biggest needs ahead of the draft, but they could also bolster the interior offensive line or the pass rush.
Now, this is a good year to draft a cornerback... but only if you're looking for a nickel, as the class is stacked with plenty of them. Boundary corners, on the other hand, will be harder to get. That said, dream target Chris Johnson may be available early in the second round.
Then again, the Packers aren't the only team in need of reinforcements at corner. The Las Vegas Raiders, the Tennessee Titans, and the New York Giants all could use help at the position and pick before Green Bay in Round 2. Something similar will be true for this year's crop of defensive tackles.
The Packers may not have many good defensive tackles to choose from in Round 2
There aren't many game-changing defensive tackles in 2026, so the Packers will probably have their fingers crossed if they want to get a good one in the second round. Caleb Banks, Peter Woods, and Kayden McDonald are all projected to go on Day 1, but Christen Miller and Lee Hunter could still be on the board at No. 52. If not, Green Bay's best bet to bolster the interior defensive line in Round 3 will be either Domonique Orange or Darrell Jackson Jr.
On paper, the Packers have options at defensive tackle, but again, they aren't the only club looking to take care of the position. And if all their favorite defensive tackle and cornerback prospects are gone at No. 52, perhaps Gutenkust will need to consider pivoting to another position.
Going after Texas A&M standout Chase Bisontis to add depth on the interior offensive line, or looking for a bookend pass rusher opposite Micah Parsons, might be the best course of action. They already met with Romello Height, but he comes with a major question.
If you ask the Packers whether they regret giving up a draft haul for Parsons, they'd do it again in a heartbeat. However, the fact that they gave up their first-round pick in 2026 will make life more challenging this year, and there's nothing they can do but for general manager Gutekunst to work his magic.