Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst speaks to the press at the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
GREEN BAY, WI (WSAU) – Following the Packers’ 24-10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, many fans and insiders are wondering if the franchise may decide to move on from a long-time star player.
Matt LaFleur’s team is one of just six NFL teams with two or fewer victories after eight weeks, according to Packers Wire. With a bye and one fewer defeat than the Chicago Bears, New York Giants, and New England Patriots, who are all 2-6, the Packers are ranked No. 6 in the current selection order. The Arizona Cardinals, who have dropped five consecutive, have the longest ongoing losing streak, with the Packers having dropped four straight.
The Packers have not drafted in the top 10 as a franchise since selecting B.J. Raji at No. 9 in 2009. The Packers haven’t had a top-5 pick since A.J. Hawk in 2005. Newly extended pass rusher Rashan Gary was the highest selection selected by current Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst in 2019 at pick No. 12 overall.
Many fans are hoping the team will choose a quarterback such as North Carolina’s Drake Maye in the top 5 if the team continues to lose this season. However, Green Bay may choose to let star offensive tackle David Bakhtiari walk and draft one of college football’s top tackles, either Notre Dame’s Joe Alt or Penn State’s Olu Fashanu, with the pick.
According to Sports Illustrated, Fashanu could have been a first-rounder last year but chose to stay at Penn State for another season. Meanwhile, Alt is a polished and pro-ready pass protector who can start immediately, and he’s the son of a former Pro Bowl tackle.
The Packers announced earlier this month that David Bakhtiari will miss the rest of the season and will require another surgery on his left knee, which would be the sixth procedure performed since he tore his ACL on December 31, 2020. Bakhtiari, 32, is under contract with the Packers for another season at $21.5 million. None of that is guaranteed, and if he is released, the Packers could drop that entire contract from their 2024 salary cap.
Green Bay is also expected to target other top prospects, such as Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry, Georgia tight end Brock Bowers, and Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy.
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