Packers Mailbag: Zach Tom's future, draft targets, and trade down scenarios
We're six days away from the draft, so this is officially the last Green Bay Packers mailbag before general manager Brian Gutekunst makes his selections. Let's jump right in. First of all, it doesn't seem like something the Packers put out last week. Rob Demovsky is a very well connected reporter, and it sounded like […]
We're six days away from the draft, so this is officially the last Green Bay Packers mailbag before general manager Brian Gutekunst makes his selections. Let's jump right in.
First of all, it doesn't seem like something the Packers put out last week. Rob Demovsky is a very well connected reporter, and it sounded like he has known that thought process for quite some time.
That being said, my first thought when the report came out was wonder why they didn't move Zach Tom to center last year if they think he has the chance to be so good there. They had a viable right tackle in Yosh Nijman, who would certainly be an upgrade over Josh Myers.
Obviously, the right tackle position is more valuable than center, but that will still be true moving forward.
As far as the draft, my perception is that they have to take multiple offensive linemen, both at tackle and interior positions, and figure it all out later. And the Andre Dillard signing shouldn't and probably won't change anything in that regard.
No matter what would probably include a trade up from 25, which is not something I would prefer. But among the players more likely than not to be available at 25, Tyler Guyton is the answer. He's the ideal developmental tackle, and the Packers can handle their offensive line situation in 2024 even if Guyton is not ready to start on day 1.
Rasheed Walker is a good player, but not good enough to preclude the Packers from looking for a tackle with a higher ceiling.
Brian Gutekunst has frequently used day 2 picks to address needs, being more willing to relax positional value concepts. So I would keep an eye on off-ball linebackers like Edgerrin Cooper, Payton Wilson, and Junior Colson, but also some running backs (Trey Benson, Jaylen Wright) and interior offensive linemen (Christian Haynes, Mason McCormick, Zak Zinter).
I doubt Gutekunst would want to make a significant trade down, unless a team offers them a future first-rounder. If they decide to trade down, it's probably a slight move if the board isn't as good as they would like, which puts the Buffalo Bills at 28 as the most intriguing option. Bills general manager Brandon Beane would realistically be willing to move up to take a wide receiver, so that can generate some action.
Another viable scenario is if a team wants to move back into the first round to get a quarterback with a fifth-year option. In that regard, the options would be the New England Patriots at 34 if they don't take a QB at 3, the Las Vegas Raiders at 44, the New Orleans Saints at 45, and maybe the New York Giants at 47. Maybe, the Packers could extract something this year plus a future second-rounder moving back 20 spots, but their board will dictate if it makes sense.
Offensive line is absolutely the spot where they develop their prospects at the highest level. David Bakhtiari, Josh Sitton, TJ Lang, Corey Linsley, JC Tretter, Zach Tom, Rasheed Walker are all mid- to late-round picks who have played at an extremely high level for the Packers. It's good scouting, but it takes a lot of developmental work as well.
On the other hand, defensive back is probably their worst spot. Outside of Jaire Alexander, it's hard to find a cornerback or safety who played as well as expected for Green Bay. And several of them went elsewhere to play better — Casey Hayward and Micah Hyde immediately come to mind.
It's really hard to have direct contact with players. For the most part, the Packers are as close an organization as there is in the NFL, and players have no motivation to break that code, unless you reach an Aaron Rodgers level of importance and anger.
Throughout the offseason program and training camp, though, local reporters will have access to the locker room, and Zach Tom will certainly be asked about his perspective and preferred position.
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