The Packers seventh round draft choice will start as a long snapper: Camaron Cheeseman, LS, Michigan

Go Packers. Go Cheeseman.

It's gotta happen. You know it does.

Sorry Ken but I feel that there are numerous spots to upgrade throughout the team. The O-line may be the most glaring. Billy turner is not a RT and only an adequate guard. We need a center and a half season answer at LT. The offense needs a quick twitch slot WR and another RB to cover for the likely injuries that will test our depth in the backfield.

D-line needs 2 guys to upgrade a chronic weakness on this defense. We have two basic starters at ILB that were rookies last year and are by no means enough to fill the need. We need a corner who will cover for the weaknesses that will be there again this season.

There will be a lot of opportunity for smart, talented players. Will the draft yield a lot of first day starters - I doubt it. But, if we draft well, there will be many new faces contributing to a playoff run particularly on defense and special teams.

Right tackle.

I don’t get it, Ken.

OL is without TWO All-Pro players entering the 2021 season, along with the loss of last year’s FA pickup RT Rick Wagner. 1 starter.

DL. The Packers have ONE known quantity in Kenny Clark. Lowry and Lancaster are bottom of the barrel and ought to be replaced. Kingsley Keke should show development. Willington Previlon has hopefully hit the gas on his development as well - he could be a big help if so. Clark must get relief from his regular 70+ snap counts. 2 starters needed here.

CB? Are King, Jackson, Hollman & Ento all going to jump out of the hot tub at the same time? 1 starter.

ILB has Martin and Barnes, who I like, but the Barry D requires top end play there. The Packers currently lack that with certainty at both starter positions, with ZERO quality backup at the positon. 1 starter.

At WR, you mention we will need starters there next year for sure, but, LaFleur’s O utilizes a gadget WR heavily. The Packers should draft and instant starter who will get a solid 35-50 snaps/game if they are good - and we need a really good one. 1 starter.

Might have forgotten how this new D system employs Safeties differently... 1 starter.

Who is the Packers Kick Returner, again? Punt Returner? Are they the same? No. Rarely. What about our starting punter? Does Gutekunst draft one just to piss off Corey Behnke? 2 starters.

Granted, the development of Yosh Nijman and the trio drafted last year of Stepaniak, Hansen and Runyan will be helpful there. Gutekunst has added what I consider to be quality players to develop, and we may realize that development in some this year. Some we know have met their ceilings. Hoping for the best.

The Packers draft fiscally thinking and a year ahead in most cases. Knowing that guys like Preston Smith, Z, Amos and Turner have good size cap hits coming that definitely weighs into their draft strategy more than finding guys who can start day 1.

Because they are a solid and well run team they can draft BPA which is the smart and higher percentage way to draft.

The Packers GM will try to hit the most glaring positions, OL-WR-DL-DB-Edge-ILB and may wait until UDFA to get a TE - RB - QB #3 - KR, when you are drafting #29 & #62 you are looking for BPA unless you are willing to gut some of your middle rounds and trade up, which will most likely happen.

But who knows? Thats the fun of it all ;)

Packers could get three players competing for starting role at OT, CB and either ILB or DT depending on who they pick at the top of the draft.

More importantly, they need six or seven to stick and compete for playing time in 2022 when the Packers cut loose over-priced, under-performing veterans. This is the draft Gutey needs to be solid and bat better than .500. The talent is there but they are tougher to predict due to COVID19 folks who elected not to play last year or had limited opportunity to play.

It may be weak. But the next step is the DL. You called it. Any draft pick won't beat out whats in front of them. So take what this draft gives you on the DL . Barmore RD1. Nixon , McNeill, Marvin Wilson, Rd 2.

OL possibly but I think unlikely, DL potentially (have to come from somewhere), butCB/DB probably most likely to receive the most snaps as rookies, which is really what matters these days. Starter is not the most relevant term.

The ideal would be CB 2, but more realistically plenty of opportunities to upgrade and deepen in whatever mix Barry uses.

That’s without dealing with situational and sub packages. Kick returner is one, slot/option another, but the point isn’t solely who starts in any package but also improving depth when injuries hit, which they will.

Lots of spots where this roster can be upgraded as well as some where, at the moment, we lack even numbers (DL, DB, CB, returner, option, slot WR, 5th WR, 3rd RB, unless you are banking on futures types and back of the roster holdovers.

Competition is good.

Potential staring spots available - C RT OG WR (slot or outside) DL (2spots) ILB, slot corner/hybrid safety, returner I can see our 1st 2nd and possibly 3rd round pick challenging for a starting spot at most of these positions

We don’t need to swing for the fences and have the mentality of picking a player at a certain position just because it’s a stronger immediate need.

We need to focus on the best player that has the ability to help this team in 2021 and 2022. No 3 year projects. With the depth at positions that fit most of our needs, I truly believe we can find players in all 7 rounds that can contribute now and in 2022.

I think we should come out of this draft with 9+ picks to help replenish the depth on this team.

IMO the OL is in desperate need of 1 day 1 starter from this draft UNLESS the packers know something that the public/Media doesn't in how far along Yosh, Runyan and step are. Runyan was bad last year, period. It was just washed over due to it not being terrible and having a All Pro center next to him. Doesn't mean he can't be better this year. Patrick was between Avg/below avg as well. Hopefully he makes a jump. From what the media says hanson is a boy amongst men. Step was a 6th Rd pick, why would anyone think he is going to come in a be an avg G right out of the shoot. Then on the outside you have an Avg at best Tackle in Turner (He sucked against TB) and the other is Yosh or your LG Elkins.

Arod is the man but he is not a young man and his performance is going to suffer greatly if he can't execute the offense w/o having to worry about getting crunched, the days of scrambling Arod are over. Not only because he's lost a step or two but they don't have the WR like that anymore. ARod is a Goat at moving around within the Pocket to extend plays, lets at least give him the tools to do it.

So many great comments in here. While I was merely calling out needs, there are other considerations. Namely, player development. I’m actually SUPER excited to see what Matt LaFleur and his staff has done with many players who needed development. Previlon could become a huge factor on our DL, as can Keke. Yosh Nijman ought to be able to pop in at RT with 2 solid years of intense coaching. The trio of Stepaniak, Hansen & Runyan could emerge and surprise many. I thought Begelton was a great slot WR UDFA add last year.

It’s possible we might not be as devoid of talent as I’ve been thinking. Some players, you can tell there’s not much ceiling left. Others, we really won’t see till TC.

I really like Ento, Hollman, Randy Ramsey... some of those guys could surprise. Chandon Sullivan could be our Ace in the hole if he returns at a higher level. Could have had a sophomore slump. Regardless, I think Gutekunst will make us much better in a week!

If Gute moves up for anything in the first but a QB, They will start. CB- Asante Samuel. Everyone says if he was 6' tall he'd be #1 CB in the draft. Speed overcomes a lot in positioning for a CB pass defensed. He will be good. Might have to move up 5-7 spots.

Yes, you are missing something. The same thing everyone seems to be missing since Ted Thompson stopped reminding us every time he spoke.
You take the best player available regardless of position!
This is because an injury, which are an absolute guarantees, can and will strike any position at any time and create an instant starter.
The nfl is a revolving door. Draft order means nothing, absolutely nothing.

60% of drafted OL sign a second contract 27% WR
That being said rd1 OL round 2 CB,WR in that order

Ken,
I like your thinking.
With the extra choices I'd like to move up in the 1st getting a defensive starter, and again getting another defensive starter in the 2nd.
Isn't this team on the verge of a Super Bowl, or what?
We have plenty offensive lineman ready to prove if they are worthy of making the 52 man roster.
Don't mortgage next years draft choices but go after some young speed on defense and take a shot at adding 2 defensive starters. Packers need to get more 3 and outs, putting that offense back on the field.

Nothing has changed at WR from 2019 to 2020 to 2021. Rook WRs are notoriously slow to develop. But the bar to clear is about as low as it gets for a starting spot. Lazard and MVS both put up 33 catches last year. That's barely 2/game. MVS did that with gaudy yards/catch. And plenty of bad drops. Both block fairly well, which is no small deal. But saying a WR is paid to block is like saying a CB is paid to tackle. It's a nice fundamental to master but not the primary gig. WRs are paid to catch the ball and CBs are paid to prevent those catches. And coaches are paid to ensure their guys master the fundamentals.

I am just as baffled when people say WR is not a big need as I am when they say OT is a big need. It's like people think Bahk sucks and thost two don't. That's just not how I see it.

I think we need a starting player at either OT or C on the OL and we need a starting WR whether in the slot or on the outside. The idea of MVS improving after 3 seasons in the league is 50/50 at best.

On defense we need a starting CB and hopefully a DL who can at least rotate in as the season goes on.

I realize that it's unlikely that we will get 3 starters out of one draft but if we can get 3 players who are on their to becoming starters during 2021 that would be a big help to the roster. A starting CB would be most important as that gives us some depth and maybe one of our current DBs can move into the star position.

Thanks, Since '61

Unless you are a pro bowler in the last couple of years, your job is in jeopardy for someone to take over.

If it’s true that the team has few needs for starters in this draft then trading down out of the first into multiple picks in the second makes the most sense. I would love to have some of the players projected to go early in the second round. Good OT’s and CB’s can be found there. Like many others, I wish for a great D-lineman and Linebacker but the value won’t be there this year.

What about special teams? I’d say PR/KR could definitely be a rookie. And if our punter doesn’t get more consistent, he could be sitting on the bench.

The good news is we don't really NEED a week 1 starter at any position (other than PR/KR), though camp injuries could change things. I expect we will see several rookies get playing time and some may be starters or significant contributors throughout the year. If we see a rookie beat out an incumbent in camp and PS, great, but we have the luxury that there is a bar set, which will give them the ability to earn playing time and grow into a role.

Punter, LS, WR #2, #2 CB, 3rd Safety,Slot CB, good DL, RT , C , Kick Returner all could start if drafted.