It's been a little over a week now since the 2026 NFL League Year officially began, and the Green Bay Packers certainly weren't as busy as some other teams as it pertained to signing external free agents.
Truth be told, Green Bay was one of just three teams in the NFC and one of five teams overall not to make a single signing on the first day of the legal tampering period, the others being the Denver Broncos, the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. The Packers did, however, make a big move that day, though it involved losing a player, as they shipped veteran edge defender Rashan Gary to the Dallas Cowboys.
Of course, Green Bay has made several signings since then, the most significant easily being two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, who was one of several salary-cap casualties of the Minnesota Vikings and signed a two-year, $23 million deal to remain in the NFC North. The Packers also brought in cornerback Benjamin St-Juste and wide receiver/return specialist Skyy Moore, while also engaging in a trade with the Indianapolis Colts to acquire veteran linebacker Zaire Franklin.
So, while maybe not the moves Cheeseheads were hoping for, they were moves nonetheless. That said, however, Green Bay still has holes to fill, and while there are still some solid depth players available in free agency, the Packers will naturally be hoping to find more help with the seven selections they currently hold in next month's draft.
The Packers currently own a pick in every round of the 2026 NFL Draft...except the first
Here's a quick look at every pick the Packers currently own in the 2026 NFL Draft following the first week of free agency:
- Round 2: No. 52 overall
- Round 3: No. 84 overall
- Round 4: No. 120 overall
- Round 5: No. 160 overall
- Round 6: No. 201 overall
- Round 7: No. 236 overall
- Round 7: No. 255 overall (compensatory selection)
As you can see, Green Bay holds a pick (and its own pick at that) in every round except the first. That pick, of course, which turned out to be No. 20 overall, belongs to the Cowboys as part of the Micah Parsons trade.
Brian Gutekunst also sent the team's 2027 first-rounder to Dallas in that deal, which the Cowboys later sent to the New York Jets in the deal that brought Quinnen Williams to America's Team. The Packers also currently don't own a sixth-rounder next year, as that went to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Darian Kinnard trade.
Back to this year, the Packers only received one compensatory pick, that coming in Round 7 at No. 255 overall. Per the NFL, the signings of offensive lineman Aaron Banks and cornerback Nate Hobbs, combined with the losses of center Josh Myers, defensive lineman T.J. Slaton, cornerback Eric Stokes, and linebacker Eric Wilson, factored into Green Bay receiving that one extra pick.
For those wondering, the aforementioned trade with the Colts was a straight-up player swap, with Franklin coming to Green Bay and Colby Wooden going to Indianapolis. No draft picks were involved in that transaction. The Packers received a 2027 fourth-round selection from the Cowboys in the Gary trade.
The 2026 NFL Draft will take place from April 23-25 in Pittsburgh.