The Packers‘ streak of not drafting a wide receiver in Round 1 has hit 20 years, but they may be prepared to snap it in a few hours. After trading Davante Adams and letting Marquez Valdes-Scantling walk in free agency, Green Bay enters the draft with a glaring need at this position. The team is exploring trade-up scenarios ahead of Round 1, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Holding the Nos. 22 and 28 picks, the Packers standing pat runs the risk of seeing the top receivers being taken ahead of them. Drake London, Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave and Jameson Williams could all go off the board in the first half of Round 1. Other receivers are firmly on the first-round radar as well. The Packers have traded up in the first round under GM Brian Gutekunst, doing so for Jordan Love two years ago. That scrutinized pick prevented the Pack from landing a first-round receiver to pair with Adams, and the team’s efforts to trade up in the 2020 second round failed. Can Gutekunst and Co. pull off a deal tonight?
Hours away from the first round, here is the latest draft buzz:
- Even though the Giants are looking less likely to complete an early separation from Kadarius Toney, they are shopping Darius Slayton. The new Big Blue regime may be open to a splashy receiver addition tonight. A Giants-Williams connection has surfaced ahead of Round 1, Breer adds. Williams would seemingly be in play with the Giants’ No. 7 pick, with the team being closely tied to a tackle at No. 5. The Giants are also open to trading out of the 7 slot, with ESPN’s Dianna Russini confirming that remains the case (Twitter link). A move down could keep them in play for Williams, whose ACL tear (and expected PUP-list stay) may not dissuade a rebuilding team like the Giants from pulling the trigger.
- Add the Cowboys to the list of teams trying to move up, via Tony Pauline of ProFootballNetwork.com (on Twitter). Jerry Jones said recently he would OK a trade-up maneuver, and a Wednesday-night report indicated Dallas is interested in tackles Charles Cross and Trevor Penning, along with London. A trade for Cross or London might be unrealistic, unless the Cowboys are prepared to trade into the top 10. The Giants have been closely connected to Cross at No. 5. Penning could still be on the board by the middle of the first round, however.
- Although the Eagles‘ trade-up effort may well be for Kayvon Thibodeaux, depending on how far the defensive end falls, other teams are expecting a potential Philly move to address a different defensive spot. Rivals believe an Eagles move into the top 10 would be for a cornerback, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets. The Eagles hosted Ahmad Gardner on a “30” visit and made a play for Stephon Gilmore in free agency. Rostering Darius Slay as their top corner, the Eagles should be expected to make a notable addition at the position. A vault from No. 15 into the top 10 would almost certainly be necessary to land Gardner or Stingley, both of whom having been consistently connected to top-10 landing spots.
- Rumored to be readying a trade-up, the Chiefs do not look likely to climb into the top half of the first round. They have told teams in the top 15 such a move would be too steep, Breer adds. The Chiefs have the Nos. 29 and 30 picks in the first round. Receiver is expected to be in play for the perennial AFC West champs, who have also been connected to pass-rushing help.
Sauce is the best player in this draft, I think a lot of teams will look at trading g up if he falls outside top 3
Gardner and Stingley are the safest picks in the draft both maybe All Pro corners for years… Both should be selected in Top 5.
Stingley is far from safe considering he is often injured and has only played 20 games the past two years.
How is Stingley a safe pick? He has all the talent in the world but hasn’t been able to stay on the field. That’s far from safe.
Stay pat . If they can get Burke if available. Try to grab atleast a DL with a pick then if you have to trade the 2 second rounders tomorrow to move up and grab Pickens early second round
That’s exactly what they are going to do.
If the Packers pass on a top WR in the first round yet again I will literally lol
If they do so in favor of an inside LB the world is ending. It’s the only other position they basically have ignored entirely in the 1st round for years, yet after glancing at a pile of mock drafts today, a number of experts are positive they’ll pick 1 of the Georgia guys tonight.
Teams traded up to get the receivers worthy of a first round pick. Seems GB had little interest in drafting a receiver in this years first round.
They were probably hoping after wr’s went 10, 11 and 12th that Burks would still be there at 22. Once he was off the board I was a bit surprised they didn’t trade down, even out of the 1st round with 1 of the picks. Or grab Pickens at 28, who they reportedly were high on.