The Packers Are Returning to a Draft Philosophy That Served Them Well
By GilMartin
Green Bay Packers GM Brian Gutekunst announced that the team will be returning to a draft strategy that served the team well in the past. In a press conference earlier this offseason, Gute announced that the team would resume selecting quarterbacks regularly on day three of the NFL draft.
While it may not happen every year, the Packers will be looking to take a flier on quarterbacks that fit their developmental criteria. The goal is to develop new backups and possibly eventually to trade them for additional assets down the line.
Gutekunst reiterated he was pleased with the team’s current backup, Sean Clifford. The Penn State alum looked like a solid backup in preseason. Because Jordan Love stayed healthy in 2023, Clifford only attempted one pass as a rookie and it ended up being a 37-yard completion to Bo Melton.
Gutekunst learned the idea of selecting quarterbacks regularly in the draft from Ron Wolf. Wolf served as the Packers GM from 1992 through 2000 and is presently in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Wolf started the process in his very first draft in 1992. He had already traded a first-round pick to the Atlanta Falcons for quarterback Brett Favre who would battle incumbent Don Majkowski for the starting job.
Still, in the ninth round of the draft, Wolf added former Heisman Trophy winner Ty Detmer out of BYU. Detmer spent four seasons with the Packers organization but only appeared in seven total games playing behind ironman Brett Favre. He later signed as a free agent with the Eagles and started 25 games in a career that lasted until 2003.
The following year, Wolf added lefthanded quarterback Mark Brunell in the fifth round. Brunell played only two games for the Packers and threw 27 passes. But, prior to the 1995 campaign, the Packers traded Brunell to Jacksonville for a third-round pick and a fifth rounder.
The Packers didn’t draft a quarterback in 1994 but in 1995, Wolf added Jay Barker out of Alabama. Barker didn’t make the team and never played a down in the NFL but not every day three pick is going to pan out.
In 1996, the Packers selected quarterback Kyle Wachholtz of USC in the seventh round. He was cut and placed on the practice squad. The Packers eventually converted him to tight end although he never appeared in a regular season game in the NFL. Neither did 1997 seventh round pick Ron McAda out of Army. He did appear in some preseason games for the Pack but never played a down of NFL football.
In 1998, the Packers added Matt Hasselbeck of Boston College in the sixth round. He spent one year on the practice squad and two seasons backing up Favre before the Pack traded him to Seattle for a swap of first round picks and a third rounder. Hasselbeck went on to start for the Seahawks and led them to a Super Bowl. He also earned Pro Bowl honors three times and played until 2015.
The 1999 draft marked the final time the Packers took a quarterback under Wolf. In the fourth round that year, they chose Virginia’s Aaron Brooks. After spending a season as the team’s third-string quarterback, the Packers traded him to the Saints along with tight end Lamont Hall for linebacker K.D. Williams and a third-round pick in 2001.
Brooks started for the Saints for five seasons before finishing his career in Oakland in 2006.
The strategy of drafting quarterbacks late in the draft paid off for Wolf and the Packers and Gutekunst will go back to it in the future. With the Packers seemingly set with Jordan Love as their starter, the team can afford to take a quarterback in the later rounds of the draft, develop them and either have them serve as the backup or trade them away.
Wolf managed to get more in trades for quarterbacks like Brunell, Hasselbeck, and Brooks, than what he paid for them in the draft. That helped fortify the Packers roster and made the quarterbacks selected a good investment.
If Gute has half the success rate that Wolf had, the move should still pay off for the Packers in the future.
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Comments (66)
Coldworld
March 28, 2024 at 12:17 pm
The emergency QB rule changed. That player can now be on the PS and elevated an unlimited amount of times. While actual use is not something to look forward to (the other two must be physically unable to play), it may mean the 3rd QB is taken a bit more seriously. That could mean a career backup I suppose on the cheap, although he’d be poachable between elevations.
At the moment I’m not sure how high they are on McGough. I’d expect a change there. Whether it’s from a draft pick I’m less sure.
Gute was speaking as a general objective of his, not predictively or directly about this year. The Packers drafted one last year, they never really drafted every year. Maybe if they see a high upside one later. They may prefer to focus Clements on Love and Clifford for another year before restarting the pipeline.
Cheezehead72
March 28, 2024 at 01:13 pm
I find it hard to believe that Clifford is better than McGough. McGough has more experience and should be better but Clifford is young and they drafted him. So I do not see their development day-to-day. I just hope they do the right thing because a back up QB is more than a tablet holder.
Bitternotsour
March 28, 2024 at 03:12 pm
Yes, of course. Alex McGough, 7th round draft choice from (checks notes) football powerhouse Florida International University, NFL journeyman is heads and tails above Clifford, who was a 4 year starter at Penn State, and was superior in basically every metric prior to being drafted in the 5th round. I'm sure there was some sort of nefarious plot to keep McGough on the bench, potentially its a conspiracy by the entire NFL. Damn those Packers, they just don't care about winning.
Cheezehead72
March 29, 2024 at 05:36 am
So how do you know that Clifford who I agree played 4 years at a Power 5 school is better than McGough. I like how you failed to mention the McGough was the QB that won the USFL Championship and was the MVP of the USFL in 2023. Yes the USFL is more competative than the NCAA. I watched him and he is a gamer who wins.
Yes GMs will lean towards guys they draft and give them more opportunities. But good GMs do not do that.
WestCoastPackerBacker
March 29, 2024 at 01:36 pm
How do you know "good" GMs don't lean towards guys they draft and give them more opportunities? And why isn't that good? There was zero draft capital spent on McGough and a 5th round pick on Clifford. If I was the GM I would want to make sure I got the most out of my investment there, plus Clifford is 3 years younger.
Why do you think McGough is better? The Seahawks drafted him and let him go, and later had him on the squad and let him go again. They have certainly needed a QB, both starter and backups in recent seasons. If the team most familiar with McGough passed on him, what would make you think he's being overlooked by GB in favor of a draft pick.
Plus, does Gutey tell LaFleur what the depth chart is for positions? I think not.
dblbogey
March 28, 2024 at 07:18 pm
I'm fine with drafting a QB later if you think he can develop into a quality #2 at the least. But, I see there are 3 highly regarded kickers in the draft, expected to go in rounds 5-7. I hope they take one, their numbers in college were much better than Anders (shiver) Carlson. A bad kicker hurt us last year, Fix it please.
SicSemperTyrannis
March 28, 2024 at 08:32 pm
Remember that Clifford kept Will Levis off the field. I cannot imagine a better backup QB for GB, but Mr Magoo is also very good. Remember that MLF said it would be difficult to get enough reps to 3 QBs , and I don't see how they could do it for 4. I'm skeptical that this idea works. I also don't like the idea of teaching a QB our playbook to deliberately trade him; loose lips sink ships.
jannesbjornson
March 28, 2024 at 02:17 pm
He should follow 2023's paradigm and hope he strikes gold with defensive selections as with the WRs. The only QBs to consider outside of Rd One are Rattler and Michael Pratt from Tulane.
golfpacker1
March 28, 2024 at 04:28 pm
Austin Reed sure impressed the commentators @ The Combine. He really threw well and has a 4000-yard passing year on his resume.
LLCHESTY
March 28, 2024 at 04:37 pm
Double digit picks the last two years. Sometimes that's a product of the system but 7.8 YPA suggests they weren't playing long ball.
jannesbjornson
March 28, 2024 at 05:09 pm
He's a run and shoot guy, not asked to read defenses. His WR, Malachi Corley will go Rd Two....
Alberta_Packer
March 28, 2024 at 12:38 pm
I'm also thinking of Matt Flynn - a 7th round pick in the 2009 draft. He signed a 3 yr. deal with Seattle - after his rookie contract expired. I don't know if the Packers received a compensatory pick (did it exist in 2012?). Nevertheless:
The Packers select with their 245/255 pick - in the 2024 NFL Draft - a QB from_____________ - ______________ (name)
Gutie just has to fill in the blanks - or not.
Cheezehead72
March 28, 2024 at 01:24 pm
Compensatory picks have been around since 1995. Matt Flynn counted towards the 2013 compensatory pick formula because it is always a year behind. In 2012 the lost Flynn and Scott Wells and picked up Saturday so they got one pick in the 5th.
Alberta_Packer
March 28, 2024 at 09:53 pm
Tx for the update.
crayzpackfan
March 28, 2024 at 12:44 pm
Hasn't this exact subject already been written about and discussed on CHTV recently?
Alberta_Packer
March 28, 2024 at 12:53 pm
"Nothing succeeds like excess." - Oscar Wilde
cdoemel
March 28, 2024 at 08:51 pm
So what’s your point? We can only talk about something once? Haha. No. My old guy brain makes it so we can talk about anything multiple times it will always be fresh!
MooPack
March 28, 2024 at 01:03 pm
If the Packers are looking for a QB late, Joe Milton - Tennessee, in the 6th. Probably won't even last that long. Maybe Sam Hartman - Notre Dame or Kedon Slovis - BYU, in the 7th. After that pretty big drop off.
Alberta_Packer
March 28, 2024 at 01:28 pm
Joe Milton reminds me of another Packers QB (very briefly) - Michael Bishop. Bishop was also a big, strong QB who had a cannon for an arm (while a Toronto Argonaut it was reported that he threw the ball 100 yds.). Unfortunately he was unable to break his habit of throwing 60 mph fastballs - to his terrified WRs - doing 10 yard button hooks. 'Touch' was a foreign concept to him.
LLCHESTY
March 28, 2024 at 02:23 pm
Milton ran a 4.55 at 245 lbs at his pro day. Had a long run of 81 yards and 7 TDs this year. Absolute rocket for an arm. Be an interesting guy to bring in on 3rd and short and as a before halftime long ball thrower. Some GM will see that arm and draft him a round or two before he should go but he's an interesting guy if you have the right coaching and patience.
https://twitter.com/mikegolicjr/status/1773079825726497165?t=gpDJ_wK-D6Y...
golfpacker1
March 28, 2024 at 04:34 pm
How about JaMarcus Russel-LSU. He almost completed a comeback in the Capitol One Bowl in 2005. He was picked #1 in 2007 and became a Top 10 bust of all time. He had a super arm, but Milton looks better than him.
jannesbjornson
March 28, 2024 at 05:58 pm
So, he's a Fullback?
Johnblood27
March 28, 2024 at 02:38 pm
When MacArthur Lane was on the Packers, he had the strongest arm on the team and could out-throw any of the QB's.
LLCHESTY
March 28, 2024 at 02:50 pm
Given the QBs on the team at the time I'm not sure that's saying much! Before my time but I remember hearing stories about Scott Hunter's wounded ducks.
Bitternotsour
March 28, 2024 at 05:40 pm
Scott Hunter shot putted ten yard outs
Leatherhead
March 28, 2024 at 10:01 pm
And yet, he was the last Packer QB to have a 10 win season for almost 20 years.
I remember watching Hunter well. He had a lot of shortcomings but he did not turn the ball over.
Bitternotsour
March 29, 2024 at 12:22 am
hard to turn it over when you only hand it off
Johnblood27
March 29, 2024 at 02:37 pm
Brock and Mac, that was a bruising backfield.
The crappy teams the Pack fielded in the 70's sure covers up some of the pretty good players that were there. Some of the OL were not bad, but wow, did the Pack have some baaaaaad QB and WR.
I am not talking about the defense, there were just soooo many poor performances.
I do remember the 72 team with Ellis, Matthews, Gray and Buchanon. They tied the record for fewest TD passes allowed in a season!
The 72 team wasnt bad except for QB and WR/TE.
Pos Player Age Yrs GS Summary of Player Stats Drafted (tm/rnd/yr)
Offensive Starters
QB Scott Hunter 25 1 14 86 for 199, 1,252 yards, 6 td, 9 int, & 22 rushes for 37 yards and 5 td
RB MacArthur Lane 30 4 14 177 rushes for 821 yards, 3 td, & 26 catches for 285 yards and 0 td
FB John Brockington* 24 1 14 274 rushes for 1,027 yards, 8 td, & 19 catches for 243 yards and 1 td
WR Carroll Dale 34 12 14 16 catches for 317 yards, 1 td
WR Leland Glass 22 Rook 14 15 catches for 261 yards, 1 td, & 2 rushes for 13 yards and 0 td
TE Len Garrett 25 1 12 4 catches for 66 yards, 0 td
LT Bill Hayhoe 26 3 12 1 fumble recovered
LG Bill Lueck 26 4 13
C Ken Bowman 30 8 13
RG Mal Snider 25 3 14
RT Dick Himes 26 4 14 1 fumble recovered
Defensive Starters
LDE Clarence Williams 26 2 14 0 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered
LDT Mike McCoy 24 2 9 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered
RDT Robert Brown* 33 6 14 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered
RDE Alden Roche 27 2 14 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered
LLB Dave Robinson 31 9 13 2 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered
MLB Jim Carter 24 2 14 1 interception, 1 fumble recovered
RLB Fred Carr* 26 4 14 0 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered
LCB Willie Buchanon 22 Rook 14 4 interceptions, 3 fumbles recovered
RCB Ken Ellis+ 25 2 14 4 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered
SS Al Matthews 25 2 14 2 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered
FS Jim Hill 26 3 14 4 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered
Johnblood27
March 29, 2024 at 02:40 pm
from the interweb...
I used to hear that one somewhat routinely (I remember watching an NFL football skills competition on ABC in c. 1973 in which fullback MacArthur Lane threw a pass 73 yards to beat everyone, including several quarterbacks).Jan 3, 2018
SicSemperTyrannis
March 28, 2024 at 08:36 pm
We had another QB like that. Was notorious for breaking the fingers of every receiver he threw to.
PackEyedOptimist
March 28, 2024 at 01:03 pm
Kedon Slovis of BYU would make a good late pick.
crayzpackfan
March 28, 2024 at 01:27 pm
With the new kickoff rules, I would be using my late picks on guys who can play special teams and not some QB who will most likely never play a regular season game.
Cheezehead72
March 28, 2024 at 01:46 pm
The goal with selecting late round picks is they do look for players that play special teams and look like a player they can develop. The chances of 6th, 7th, and UDFAs making the team are very small.
I have no problem with them selecting a QB in a late round if they like what they see after all we have 11 picks. Sometimes you get lucky.
splitpea1
March 28, 2024 at 01:31 pm
Okay, fine, but, a) who, any ideas?, and b) it's important to convert those picks into useful players. So let's see what happened.
The Brunell trade resulted in us selecting William Henderson (one of my favorite Packers), and Travis Jervey, a good mostly special teams player for a number of years. Footnote: in the process of drafting Jervey, Wolf passed on Terrell Davis (very bad!), who was taken in the next round.
The Hasselback trade resulted in us drafting...get out the air freshener...Jamal Reynolds and Torrance Marshall. Bust city. 😢
The third round player we acquired for Brooks was safety Bhawoh Jue; he played in a number of games for us, but to be honest I recall the name, but not so much the player. Ah, the Sherman years and some of those defensive choices....
jannesbjornson
March 28, 2024 at 02:10 pm
Not a draft guru, but a con man placed in charge of a football operation.
LeotisHarris
March 28, 2024 at 02:54 pm
You're being kind of hard on ol' Sugar Bear, jb. He sateth on the right hand of Holmgren Almighty to reach the HC/GM role, and he rang the bell with Nick Barnett, Cullen Jenkins, and Scotty Wells.
I think of Sherman as a Chauncey Gardiner-like character from the movie Being There' certainly not a con man.
Bitternotsour
March 28, 2024 at 03:17 pm
Chauncey never got played the way Sherman did. Chauncey bumbled his way to success, Sherman, not so much. Though it would surprise me that like Chauncey, Sherman liked to watch...
LLCHESTY
March 28, 2024 at 02:47 pm
Jordan Travis from FSU could be an interesting of he slides due to his injury last year. His follow through mechanics need a lot of work but it sounds like it could be because he's trying to get more zip on the ball. A redshirt year under Clements while adds some strength could do wonders for him. Kids a worker that's going to do all he can to succeed. Probably a 5th rounder but if he slides to the 6th worth a look.
stockholder
March 28, 2024 at 02:11 pm
For some reason I just don't have any faith
in Gute trying to bring in any QB.
Maybe it's because I don't see Tom Clements staying.
LeotisHarris
March 28, 2024 at 02:55 pm
Could it be because you don't have any faith in Gute?
Bitternotsour
March 28, 2024 at 03:19 pm
Yes, why would anyone trust Gutekunst to evaluate and draft a quarterback, it's not like he's ever done it before.
RichBeckman
March 29, 2024 at 01:06 pm
Perhaps having a new quarterback to work with would be to Clements' liking. Perhaps this draft strategy helps to keep Clements around.
Or not.
Leatherhead
March 28, 2024 at 02:20 pm
If you want to draft a QB in the 5th, and then maybe trade him in a couple of years for a 3rd, why didn't you just trade your pick in exchange for somebody's future pick?
LLCHESTY
March 28, 2024 at 02:34 pm
Because you might find a diamond in the rough that can come in and give you quality starts if your starter goes down. If you have quality QB coaches might as well take advantage of them.
porupack
March 28, 2024 at 02:35 pm
Yeah. Good question. I guess that would be true if you weren't playing the game of stakes that that player would be a Brock Purdy or Tob Brady.
Johnblood27
March 28, 2024 at 02:40 pm
Tob for the Hall of Fab!!!
LeotisHarris
March 28, 2024 at 02:57 pm
I thought Tob was overrated.
Johnblood27
March 29, 2024 at 02:31 pm
Me too, it was all Bell -e- check
stockholder
March 28, 2024 at 02:50 pm
Brohm?
Bitternotsour
March 28, 2024 at 03:21 pm
They want to draft a first round talent QB in the fifth Leatherhead. Duh.
SicSemperTyrannis
March 28, 2024 at 08:42 pm
I look forward to seeing Gutey draft in the fifth leatherhead.
WestCoastPackerBacker
March 29, 2024 at 03:18 pm
Who is going to give us a future 3rd rounder for a 5th rounder this year?
GregC
March 28, 2024 at 04:19 pm
Having a third QB on the roster is less appealing nowadays, when most teams keep only two QBs on the roster. Of course you want a third QB on your practice squad, but if he's good enough to have any trade value, he's probably going to get poached. So maybe you have to trade your #2 QB and hope the developmental QB on the practice squad is good enough to elevate to the roster, but not quite good enough to get poached before that happens. The only way to avoid this scenario is to keep three QBs on the roster. Is that even worth doing? We'll find out in the next couple of years if Gute is really going to do this.
joejetson
March 28, 2024 at 08:28 pm
I kind of had the same thought that you mention that a good backup QB on the Practice Squad would likely be poached. What I'm not sure about are the poaching rules. I seem to remember that the original team has the option to match the salary the poaching team offers. If so, you could match the offer but you'd probably have to add him to your active roster as well. Then you'd be taking up the three roster spots for the QB position, two of whom will likely not be contributing on a weekly basis. I suppose that at that point you could talk trade with the poaching team and get your draft pick. But who knows with the maze of rules the NFL has?
golfpacker1
March 28, 2024 at 05:01 pm
Got time for a mock? No QB though, its a waste of a pick I think.
25. Cooper DeJean-S Iowa
41. Cooper Beebe-OG Kansas State
60. Junior Colson-LB Michigan
88. Dominick Puni-OG Kansas
91. Bucky Irving-RB Oregon
126. Elijah Jones-CB Boston College
169. Khristian Boyd-DT Nothern Iowa
202. Myles Cole-EDGE Texas Tech
204. DeCamerion Richardson-CB Mississippi State
219. Nathaniel Watson-LB Mississippi State
245. Dillon Johnson-RB Washington
255. Tyler Owens-S Texas Tech
Bitternotsour
March 28, 2024 at 05:39 pm
were there no other cooper's available?
Coldworld
March 28, 2024 at 06:23 pm
Don’t you want a Cooper Bowl?
SicSemperTyrannis
March 28, 2024 at 08:45 pm
Need a set of 4.
WestCoastPackerBacker
March 29, 2024 at 03:25 pm
Remember the days when we had the following
AJ Hawk
BJ Raji
CJ Wilson
DJ Smith
DJ Williams
TJ Lang
I thought they were focusing their drafts on players with initials instead of first names, particularly with the middle initial J.
stockholder
March 28, 2024 at 07:44 pm
You'll change this come draft time.
I used Tankathons mock for changes
41, Cooper Beebe———? 41. T'vondre Sweat NT
Zac Zinter @91 frees up @41 for Payton Wilson ,A trade, Bullard
60. Junior Colson-LB Michigan- No. #58 Edgerrin Cooper LB
88. Dominick Puni-OG Kansas- NO. #88 Jaden Hicks. S
91. Bucky Irving-RB Oregon - No. #91 Braelon Allen. Rb
126. Elijah Jones-CB Boston College- No
SicSemperTyrannis
March 28, 2024 at 08:44 pm
Only two on the O line will NOT cut it!
Boneman
March 29, 2024 at 07:29 am
Sorry just don't see Packers taking a small running back like Irving. It will be somebody at least 210 pounds.
HarryHodag
March 28, 2024 at 05:03 pm
It is a good idea to draft a QB every year if you have extra picks like the Packers have this year. Jordan Love was remarkably injury free this year. That might not be the case. You need a third QB familiar with the system who can step in. Lose your quarterback lose many games, it's that simple.
The extra value is the salary cap. A back up veteran costs much more.
golfpacker1
March 28, 2024 at 05:19 pm
You are right Harry. When I do draft a Mock QB, it's usually Austin Reed-Western Kentucky. He lit the Combine up and he has over 8000 yards passing the last 2 years. 71 TDs and 22 INTs. Developmental with upside.
Michael Penix threw for 67 TDs and 19 INTs the same last 2 years.
Bitternotsour
March 28, 2024 at 05:45 pm
Michael Penix did it against actual competition. As a Duck fan I hated the guy, but Jeez can he throw a deep ball.
Boneman
March 29, 2024 at 07:33 am
There are no sleeper QB's anymore and if one looks any good at all they would have to try and carry him on the 53 otherwise he'd get poached. Somebody that is a project but has an elite trait like Joe Milton (incredible arm strength) in the 6th or 7th maybe. Have a competition with our current backup and may the best man win. It would still be tough to stash him on the PS if he shows anything in preseason.