The Green Bay Packers aren't off to a great start to the 2026 season. They're 1-2 following their discouraging loss to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3, and their only win came against a New York Jets team nobody will confuse with a playoff contender.
Now, you can make the case that there's more than enough time for the Packers to turn things around, and you would be right. But even if they steer the ship in the right direction, it's clear that their roster is in dire need of upgrades at several key positions, including (but not limited to) the offensive line and the running back room.
In any other year, that wouldn't be an issue. However, general manager Brian Gutekunst will be working without a first-round pick in 2027.
Why the Micah Parsons is coming back to haunt the Packers
Make no mistake, Micah Parsons is a game-changer. That was clearly evident during his stint with the Dallas Cowboys and before he tore his ACL last year. However, trading for him didn't come cheap. The Packers had to give the Cowboys their first-round picks in 2026 and 2027.
If the Packers ended with a losing record in 2026, they would have a high draft pick next year, but the Cowboys have it. Complicating the situation is that Dallas is projected to have two first-round selections next year but will give the higher of the two to the New York Jets. Simply put, the more Green Bay losses, the higher the pick the Jets get in 2027.
Imagine what the Packers could do with that first-rounder next year. They could target one of the top offensive tackle prospects in the 2027 draft or beef up the defensive front.
The one positive, though, is that Green Bay is projected to pick 11 times, thanks to four expected compensatory picks and selections from the Rashan Gary and Dontayvion Wicks trades. But that doesn't include a first-rounder, which could even become a top-15 pick in a stacked class.
The Packers do have lots of talent but also several glaring holes
It's important to point out that the cupboard isn't fully bare. The Packers do have ample talent on both sides of the ball. Jordan Love is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, and he has no shortage of weapons at wide receiver, with the trio of Matthew Golden, Jayden Reed (he may miss the remainder of the 2026 season, though), and Christian Watson in the mix. Tucker Kraft is also a top-10 tight end.
On defense, Green Bay has one of the best safety tandems in the NFL in Evan Williams and Xavier McKinney. Lukas Van Ness is finally living up to his draft billing, and the pass rush should get a substantial boost once Parsons is back in the fold.
But even with all that talent, the Packers are 1-2, and it doesn't look like they're going to turn things around because their roster voids are simply too big to overcome: The offensive line cannot protect Love or open lanes in the running game, and their rushing attack ranks dead last in the league.
Even if Josh Jacobs returns this season, he may not be enough to get the running game going.
When you add it all up, Green Bay will need to revamp the roster if it wants to be a perennial threat in the NFC North. That is much tougher without a first-round pick.
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