Packers' Top 2023 NFL Draft Targets
The Green Bay Packers are in the midst of a pivotal offseason. The franchise is widely expected to trade longtime starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets, though a trade has yet to come to fruition.
As ESPN's Adam Schefter recently explained on SportsCenter, Friday may be a date to circle for all parties involved.
"The line of demarcation, the soft deadline, is next Friday night, picks 42 and 43," Schefter said. "Because if picks 42 and 43 come and go without Aaron Rodgers being traded to the New York Jets, then the wait for him to become a Jet could go on for an awful long time."
Rodgers is due a $58.3 million option bonus, but that doesn't have to be paid until the start of the season. Theoretically, the Packers don't have to trade Rodgers until just before Week 1 to avoid paying him.
Regardless of when Rodgers is dealt, Green Bay is poised to turn the offense over to Jordan Love this year. The 2020 first-round pick has waited for his opportunity, and the Packers need to evaluate him as the full-time starter.
Supporting Love should be one of Green Bay's goals in this week's draft. With that in mind, let's examine three top draft prospects who should be under consideration with the 15th overall pick.
Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State
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Ideally, Love will be Green Bay's starter for a long time, just like Rodgers and Brett Favre before him.
Picking up a long-term plan along the offensive line would be a logical move for the Packers. Ohio State's Paris Johnson Jr. is the top-ranked offensive tackle on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department's draft board and could be targeted as the heir to David Bakhtiari on the left side.
"Overall, Johnson is an extremely athletic, coordinated mover with the movement skills and body control to play on an island in pass-protection while being an asset in the zone run game, working combo blocks and tracking targets on the move," Brandon Thorn of the B/R Scouting Department wrote.
Johnson has experience playing guard, though, and could provide depth along the offensive interior if Bakhtiari is able to start for the entire season. Because of a torn ACL and an appendectomy, the 31-year-old veteran started only 12 games over the past two seasons.
Bakhtiari is under contract for two more seasons but could realistically be entering his final season as a Packer. Green Bay can release him next offseason and save $24.1 million off the 2024 cap.
Drafting a tackle like Johnson would help Green Bay prepare for Bakhtiari's inevitable departure.
Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
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The Packers famously avoided drafting pass-catchers early during Rodgers' tenure as the starter. The last time Green Bay took a receiver or a tight end was in 2002, when the franchise snagged Florida State's Javon Walker.
Perhaps general manager Brian Gutekunst will change course with a less-proven quarterback in Love. If he does, Notre Dame's Michael Mayer would be a terrific choice in the first round.
Mayer is a terrific do-it-all tight end who could quickly establish himself as Love's security blanket in the passing game.
"Tight end is typically a tough transition, but Mayer should be a weapon right away," Derrik Klassen of the B/R Scouting Department wrote. "A player with his size, strength and natural ball skills will find a way to be productive out of the gate."
Mayer caught 67 passes for 809 yards and nine touchdowns last season and has the tools to be a perennial Pro Bowler at the next level. The big question is whether the fifth-ranked overall prospect on the B/R board will still be available at No. 15.
If Mayer is already gone before the Packers pick, tight ends like Utah's Dalton Kincaid and Georgia's Darnell Washington would also make sense for the Packers.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
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If there's an early run on tight ends, Green Bay might consider a receiver to pair with promising second-year players Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs. Ohio State's Jaxon Smith-Njigba would be an ideal receiver target if he's available at No. 15.
Smith-Njigba was limited by a hamstring injury this past season but caught 95 passes for 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns in 2021. He's largely viewed as a slot receiver only, but that's perfect for what Green Bay needs.
According to some predraft buzz, Smith-Njigba might be viewed as the best receiver prospect in this draft class, despite his slot-specialist status.
However, the Packers could potentially find themselves in a perfect situation on Thursday night. If other receiver-needy teams prefer prospects like TCU's Quentin Johnston and Jordan Addison because of Smith-Njigba's slot-only reputation, the perfect receiver could indeed fall to Green Bay.
With Doubs and Watson on the perimeter and Smith-Njigba in the slot, Green Bay would instantly have one of the most exciting young receiving corps in the conference. It would still need to find a replacement for the departed Robert Tonyan at tight end, but fortunately, this is viewed as a class deep at the tight end position.
Contract information via Spotrac. College statistics from Sports Reference.
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