The Inexperienced Bay Packers draft a defensive again within the first spherical of the NFL Draft. Cease the practice if you happen to’ve heard that earlier than.
Inexperienced Bay basic supervisor Brian Gutekunst has poured a ton of draft capital into his protection since 2018 – particularly, capital spent on the defensive backfield. That is why the Packers’ defensive struggles within the Joe Barry period have been so disappointing and why so many are calling for Barry’s job with the Packers at 6-8 and coming off two large losses that largely may very well be pinned on the group’s protection.
It is a sore spot in Inexperienced Bay, but the latest CBS Sports activities 2024 NFL Mock Draft has Gutekunst doubling down within the defensive backfield as soon as once more.
Projected at choose No. 11, analyst Chris Trapasso believes the Packers would draft Alabama cornerback Kool-Support McKinstry.
“McKinstry is the precise cornerback the Packers in all probability want shifting ahead of their secondary,” Trapasso wrote.
Whereas in a vacuum it is exhausting to knock the Packers for taking arguably one of the best cornerback within the draft, within the larger context of the Gutekunst period this transfer could be infuriating for followers.
If Inexperienced Bay drafted McKinstry, as this mock suggests the Packers would, he would go down because the eighth defensive first-rounder within the Gutekunst period and the fourth defensive again (cornerback Jaire Alexander in 2018, security Darnell Savage in 2019 and cornerback Eric Stokes in 2021).
Positive, Alexander was largely successful for Gutekunst, however he is been extremely injury-prone of late. The identical may very well be mentioned for Stokes, who flashed promise as a rookie however hasn’t been capable of keep wholesome since. And Savage? He is proven upside however has largely been a disappointment.
In fact, what this mock is not factoring in could be the seemingly new defensive coordinator instead of Barry (whose contract runs out this offseason), however Packers followers could be discovering their heads spinning at Gutekunst devoting yet one more first-round choose to a defensive unit that has largely underperformed since 2010 – the final time Inexperienced Bay received the Tremendous Bowl.
A case could be made that an offensive lineman to guard Jordan Love could be a greater first-round alternative or perhaps a working again as a result of neither Aaron Jones nor A.J. Dillon are assured to be again subsequent season.
If Gutekunst had to enhance the secondary then how about some recent new expertise at security?
Both approach you have a look at it, one other first-round cornerback isn’t who this group wants proper now.