Green Bay Packers Rise To The Key Position By The NFL Due To…
The Green Bay Packers have been spending the 2024 off-season by getting younger while remaining talented. The decision to move on from Aaron Jones (29) and David Bakhtiari (32) may not have been popular ones, but they certainly kept the team young and competitive.
However, one 28-year-old veteran has been widely considered a favorite to land with Green Bay. That was only confirmed today.
Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker is entering the final year of his contract, and though noise surrounding his status has calmed down, that still hasn’t stopped the theoretical trade market from moving the star defender.
Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton pieced together trades for contenders this offseason, and Baker was sent to the Green Bay Packers:
“The Green Bay Packers allowed safeties Darnell Savage and Jonathan Owens to walk in free agency. They signed versatile defensive back Xavier McKinney to fill that void. The Packers can go a step further to field one of the best safety tandems in the league with the addition of Budda Baker,” wrote Moton.
“Typically, safeties rank low on the priority list of roster needs, but Packers cornerbacks Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes have struggled to stay on the field. Last season, they missed 24 games combined.
“When starting cornerbacks sit out, safeties usually become a little more important in the defensive scheme. Along with McKinney, Baker can patch up holes in the secondary whether the Packers play at full strength or take the field short-handed.
Just a few seasons ago the Packers doubled dipped at the edge rusher position with Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith. The 2024 off-season saw a similar type of need for the team when it comes to Safety. They’ve already got their star in Xavier Mckinney. Will they double dip through the draft, free agency, or make a trade for a veteran?
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The Green Bay Packers Have These 2 Glaring Draft Needs
It’s hard to believe, but we are less than a month away until the 2024 NFL Draft. The Green Bay Packers own 11 draft picks this year. They have hit on their quarterback of the future, addresses the running back room, and hit on multiple receivers they drafted last year.
There isn’t a ton of draft needs, especially after signing safety Xavier McKinney in free agency. However, this year, the Green Bay Packers still have two glaring needs they need to address in the draft.
After the Green Bay Packers released D’Vondre Campbell earlier this off-season, it left a big need in the middle of that defense. Third year linebacker Quay Walker does return, but he still needs at least one true linebacker next to him. There are a ton of edge rushers, but this defense needs a good coverage linebacker. Walker is much better at getting after the ball carrier and rushing the quarterback.
If I was Green Bay, I wouldn’t use my first round pick on inside linebacker, but it definitely is nn play beginning in round two. In particular, I like NC State’s Payton Wilson, Texas A&M’s Edgerrin Cooper, and North Carolina’s Cedric Gray. Not only do I think they are day one starters, but they could also wear the green dot on their helmet and be the defensive play caller for first year defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley
While the Packers did address the safety position with the signing of McKinney, I don’t think they have their other starting safety on the roster. They did lose both Darnell Savage, Jonathan Owens, and Rudy Ford. Second year player Anthony Johnson Jr is on the roster, but I think he better serves as a backup.
The tough part is safety is not a strong position in the draft. This is a position where the Green Bay Packers might have to trade up. Two players I am looking at are Minnesota’s Tyler Nubin and USC’s Callen Bullock. Bullock doesn’t tackle well but is great in coverage. Nubin is probably the best one in this class. If the Packers don’t get Nubin, don’t be surprised if they potentially go back into free agency.
The Packers absolutely need to address offensive line as well. I did not put this as a glaring need because they have their five starters they used for most of last season on the roster. They do need to address the depth as Josh Myers in in the last year of this contract and there is not much for back up depth. They could release a player like Royce Newman, but I could see the Packers keeping him as he has played quite a bit in his first three years.
The player I think fits the Packer role very well is Duke’s Graham Barton. He can play multiple positions and could make starts right away if needed. The Packers love versatility and Barton might not be there if the Packers pass on him at pick 25.
Some other options I like are Tyler Guyton of Oklahoma, Amarius Mims of Georgia, Troy Fautanu of Washington, and JC Latham of Alabama. These could all be in play at pick 25 too.
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