Does the Senior Bowl matter? For the Packers, it absolutely does
The NFL season hasn't even ended yet, but it did for most teams — and the Green Bay Packers are one of them. So, on to 2024. And the first big collective step in that process is the Senior Bowl — practices have happened through the week, and the game itself is on Saturday, in […]
The NFL season hasn't even ended yet, but it did for most teams — and the Green Bay Packers are one of them. So, on to 2024. And the first big collective step in that process is the Senior Bowl — practices have happened through the week, and the game itself is on Saturday, in Mobile.
But how much is it worth it? Do teams really change their boards based on what happens in Alabama for a couple of days. It's not totally clear the amount of change, but it absolutely has some weight, particularly for the Packers. There is benefit, the Packers management believes, in watching players live.
"Certainly, for some of us, it's the first time we get the chance to set our eyes on some of these players," Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst told Sports Illustrated. "Seeing them physically move around and compete, it's such a big deal to see the competition live. And to meet them, in the beginning phase of getting to know these guys as people, I think is just a huge part of our process. Then, having it in Mobile and the professional way that they roll that thing out for us, and make it so easy, it's a very, very important part of our process."
And this is not just offseason talk. Over the last couple of drafts, Green Bay has used a lot of draft capital to select players who performed in the Senior Bowl.
Players to watch
It's hard to know exactly which players are worth keeping an eye on from a Green Bay's fan perspective, but there are some clues. Eventually, risers will catch the general attention, but they might not make much sense for the Packers. A good example of that is Roman Wilson, who's practiced well, but is mostly a slot receiver.
According to Easton Butler, from Packers Insider, the Packers have already made contact before the Senior Bowl with 12 players, and the most frequent position is defensive back. They are Texas Tech's Rayshad Williams, FSU's Akeem Dent, and Pittsburgh's AJ Woods during the Hula Bowl, plus Pittsburgh's MJ Devonshire from the Shrine Bowl.
That's a good indication the Packers will most likely look at defensive backs in the draft. And some players that have been mentioned as risers by ESPN are Louisville cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr. and Kentucky's Andru Phillips. Among the safeties, Georgia's Javon Bullard made impactful plays.
Some teams, like the Los Angeles Rams, prefer to send lower-level executives to the Senior Bowl, leaving the top decision-makers in the building with an extra week of inside work. The Packers, however, still gives a lot of value for what happens in Mobile — that's a big factor, and it's worth keeping an eye on who might emerge from this week.
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