I love Van Ness but would have preferred Nolan Smith. Eagles will have the best defense in the league. Great analysis but I disagree with your assessment of the Lions pick of Jahmyr Gibbs. I believe they will also use him as a slot receiver. They already have a great offense and Gibbs will add a whole new dimension. Now, I see the Lions as the division favorite. I cringe at the thought of our defense trying to tackle him in the open field. I believe the Packers could have used him exclusively as a slot receiver. Don't forget that Gibbs was Alabama's leading receiver as well as averaging 5+ yards per carry.They may also use him as a kick returner. Back to the Packers. I agree TE definitely with our second round. Love Darnell Washington. Best blocker on the field. Maybe one of the Safeties from Illinois. Likewise I Prefer Sydney Brown. He had a great year. Again, thanks for your perspective.

If we can get Mayer or Washington- 42, Jones or Branch- 45, in that order. I would be ecstatic! So I will be sweating the next 10 picks. Then the rest would be gravy.

In sum, the Packers would have been fine and better off choosing Jaxon Smith Njigba with the 13th pick and then choosing a tight end with pick #43 and fine adding an edge rusher with pick #45, the 2nd of their 2 second round picks, or even selecting an edge in the third round. The Packers need offensive play makers more than an premier edge rusher - which I don't think they got with Van Ness.

Hopefully the Packers get tight end Darnell Washington at 43 and a wide receiver at 45 and another wide receiver at 78.

None of the 14 Packer Cheese Head TV writers chose Van Ness as their first pick - 5 made the most logical choice of Jaxon Smith Njigba, which was also the choice I had written several times. .

12 out of 14 of the Packer Cheese Head TV writers had the Packer choosing offense and

15 of the 31 picks in the first round were offense, including 10 at the skill positions: 3 QBs, 2 RBs, 1 TE, and 4 WRs.

In the Packers last 12 drafts, 11 times Brian and Thompson before him, picked defense with the 1st choice - only the pick of Love was an offense 1st pick.

Beyond the illogical choice of defense again, when Brian has been destroying the offense's weapons - loss of Davante, MVS, Lazard, Tonyan, Lewis, Cobb - with such a deep draft for edge rushers, couldn't Green Bay have traded down into the first round and picked up another pick, maybe a 2nd rounder and still drafted a good edge rusher?

Given Packers faux "Salary Cap Hell" Propaganda to help get rid of the longest tenured Packer and the main reason the Packers were even in the playoffs 11 of the last 15 years, pressing needs from this draft were 1) receivers for Love and 2) an edge rusher and some might say 3) safety and 4) a QB as a backup - or alternative - to Love should Jordan be a failure.

Was Lukas Van Ness even the best choice at Edge rusher , which is what the Packers needed?

Is Van Ness even an "edge rusher"?

NFL Draft Buzz had Van Ness as the 5th ranked defensive lineman behind Jalen Carter (1st d lineman, 4th overall, drafted 9th by the Eagles at ), Myles Murphy(2nd d lineman, 6th overall, drafted 28th by the Bengals),, Bryan Bresee (3rd d llneman, 19th overall, drafted 29th by the Saints) , and Calijah Kancey (4th d lineman, 21st overall), and ranked 26th overall.

At Edge Rusher NFL Draft Buzz ranks Van Ness as the 5th ranked player behind Will Anderson (1st edge rush, 2nd overall, drafted 3rd by the Texans), Myles Murphy (2nd edge rush, 6th overall, drafted 29thh by the Bengals), Tyree Wilson (3rd edge rusher, 11th overall, drafted 7th by the Raiders), Nolan Smith (4th edge rusher, 20th overall, drafted 30th by the Eagles)

The Packers would have been fine and better off choosing Jaxon Smith Njigba with the 13th pick and then choosing a tight end with pick #43 fine adding an edge rusher with pick #45, the 2nd of their 2 second round picks, or even selecting an edge in the third round. The Packers need offensive play makers more than an premier edge rusher - which I don't think they got with Van Ness.

After Nolan Smith for edge rusher there still was or is Will McDonald (6th edge, 39 overall) , BJ Qjulari (7th edge, 41 overall), Keion White (8th edge, 48th overall, , Isaiah Foskey (9th edge, 49th overall), Felix Anudike-Uzomah (10th edge, 51st overall), drafted 31st by the Chiefs), Adetomiwa Adebawore (11th edge, 52nd overall) , Derick Hall (12th edge, 56th overall), Andre Carter (13th edge, 69th overall) , Drew Sanders (14th edge, 70th overall), Byron Young (15th edge, 76h overall), Zach Harrison (16th overall, 80th overall), Nick Herbig,(17th edge, 84th overall) and my pick USC's Tuli Tuipulotu (18th ranked Edge, 95th overall) - who led the Nation in sacks with 13 and had 22 tackles for a loss in 2022 - in the 2nd or 3rd round after the Packers had secured a WR (had hoped Jaxon Smith-Njigba) and TE. Darnell Washington.

Or is Van Ness neither a D lineman or a edge rusher, but an outside/inside "tweener" DE/DT as Gutekunst in his interview seems to think the Packers are going to use Van Ness inside and outside?

Do the Packers need a jack of all trades "tweener" and is it realistic to think Van Ness can excel inside as a pass rusher and run stopper?

And Van Ness' coming in 24th among Edge Rushers in the bench press with 17 reps - relative to Rashan Gary's 26 reps in 2019 - is NOT due to Van Ness arm length as Ven Ness 34 inch am length is shorter than Gary's 34 and 1/8 inch arms and Keion White with the same 34 inch arms did 30 reps, coming in tied for 2nd.

No excuse for Van Ness' 31 inch vertical leap either vs. Rashan Gary's 38 inch vertical.

This interview of Lukas Van Ness though is interesting because I think it is the PRE DOMINANT REASON that Brian chose Van Ness::

https://www.hawkcentral.com/videos/sports/college/iowa/football/2022/09/...

Brian sure got what he wanted in one way - he got a young, relatively ignorant, malleable, company man, a yes man, that is going to follow orders, not think or question much. A TRUE "COMPANY MAN" and Order Taker and OBEDIENT YES MAN who will ALWYAYS stick to the Company Line SCRIPT.

Brian (and Russ too I am sure) is intimidated - intellectually and other wise - by veterans that have been around the block and the know the game of football much better than Brian does and also know the business side.

Brian clearly from his words and body language views the VETERAN players as THE ENEMY.

It was clear early that Murphy was put in a tough spot with GM Ted Thompson - who like Murphy had played for years in the NFL and knew his way around the block - sudden terminal illness diagnosis. Mark did not see Brian or Russ Ball as having the skills or presence or gravitas to fill Ted Thompson's position as GM, so the divided their duties and put Lafleur at the same level in the Packer organizational chart, all reporting to Murphy.

The more you watch and listen to Brian, not only his actions, but words and body language you see why Murphy made the choice he did in 2018 to divide up responsibilities and have Lafleur and Ball AND Brian report directly to him. .

From the start Brian was insecure in his position as GM and viewed experienced solid and star veteran players and leaders in the locker room as his enemies, especially Aaron Rogers.

And in Brian's early choices of Jaire in 2018, as good as he is, rather than offensive playmaking receivers like tight end Hayden Hurst or wide receivers DJ Moore or Calvin Ridley, and Rashan with the 12th pick rather than trading up for TE TJ Hockenson or trading down for TE Noah Fant, WR Marquise Brown, WR N'Keal Harry, WR Deebo Samuel, WR AJ Brown, WR Mecole Hardman, and especially Love rather than trading up for Justin Jefferson or staying in place and drafting Tee Higgins or Michael Pittman Jr.,Brian spited Aaron and spited the Packers and spited the Packer fans.

With Ted terminally ill and sick in 2017 - and not functioning well probably much earlier:

"Late in the 2017 season, Mark Murphy and I had a conversation about my health and future with the Packers," he said. "At that time, we mutually agreed that it was in the best interests of myself and the organization to step away from my role as general manager. In consultation with team physician Dr. John Gray, I began a complete health evaluation that has included second opinions over the last year from the Medical College of Wisconsin, the Mayo Clinic and the UT Southwestern Medical Center.
"I have been diagnosed with an autonomic disorder. I feel that it’s important to mention that based on the test results and opinions of medical specialists, they feel that I do not fit the profile of someone suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)."

the 2017 draft - with the Packers with pick #29 and ignoring TJ Watt (picked 30th by the Steeler) or an offensive playmaker (TE Njoko, WR Zay Jones, WR Curtis Samuel, RB Dalvin Cook) - and trading down 2 slots to pick Kevin King - and then picking Josh Jones in the 2nd round with pick #61 with Ju Ju Smith Schuster being taken net by the Steelers, has Brian's fingerprints all over it.

Brian is a contrarian, in his actions and the source of that contrary behavior is worrisome as it seems to be based on Brian's insecurities.

When the players and fans anyone that is logical thinker, think through the situation and make their wishes publicly known, Brian does the opposite. And if a player or fan or anyone QUESTIIONS, Brian, with his youth and inexperience as a GM is magnified in his REACTIONARY and impulsive actions.

I view Brian as A SPITEFUL and insecure GM that is in over his head

All you have to do is go back and listen to the various Packer Press Conference interviews of Aaron and Brian - this year go listen to the January 8, 2023 Rodgers press conference following the Lions game, then listen to Brian's press conference on January 13, February 28th and Aaron Rodgers appearance on Pat McAfee from January through February 2023 and then Brian March 28th and April 24, and Aaron and Brian on April 26th. .

For any TRUE Packer Fan - those who, unlike the 31 Billionaire Parasite NFL owners, purchase Packer Share wanting to help the team knowing full well that that not only aret they not going to profit, but they are also not going to ever get their money back - it is VERY IMPORTANT to listen to the actual press conferences and interviews, NOT the Media's reporting of them, as the NFL Media is owned by the NFL and its 31 Billionaire Owners' talking heads.

Rodgers EXCELLENCE hid Packer Management's shortcomings and insecurities in Brian and incompetence in the case of Brian and Russ and now we are going to see the realities as the next 4 years of Aaron Rodgers contract - hopefully the Jets/Giants disastrous artificial turf (still artificial turf despite the Billionaires changes this year) does spell Aaron's non contact leg injuries or end as it has so many other NFL players - and Jordan's time as starter with the Packers play out.

Now Brian knows that his drafting of a wide receiver, running back or tight end, in the first round, for Jordan's first year as a starter - WHICH IS THE LOGICAL THING TO DO - will be perceived CORRECTLY as Brian having been SCREWING the longest tenured Packer - AND THE PACKER TEAM AND THEIR FANS - over the last several years.

Now Love gets screwed too.