Green Bay Packers: Compensatory picks add options for 2018 NFL Draft
By Hunter Noll
The Green Bay Packers received four compensatory picks in the 2018 NFL Draft, all of which give them more quality options come draft day.
Last offseason in free agency, the Green Bay Packers lost quite a few big names, such as guard T.J. Lang and safety Micah Hyde. Those losses led to some additions in the draft this season though. Due to the Packers many losses last offseason, they’ve gotten four compensatory picks in the upcoming 2018 NFL draft. Those picks include one fourth-rounder and two fifth-rounders, as well as a sixth-round pick.
Recent past has been kind to the Packers when it comes to compensatory picks. They found Josh Sitton in 2008 with a fourth-round comp pick. Mike Daniels came to them in 2012 with another fourth-round pick too. Then there’s Blake Martinez, who was drafted in 2016 and came via (you guessed it) a fourth-round compensation pick.
The four extra picks give Green Bay a total of 12 selections in the draft this year. Those 12 include two fourth-rounder and sixth-rounders, and three fifth-rounders. This gives the Packers incredible depth this draft, and could lead to a major roster rebuild in two ways.
The first option is using the 12 picks. Building through the draft is my favorite way to create a winning roster. You’re getting guys that you can mold to your schemes. No need to worry about players that are already older and used to certain schemes. You’re also getting young talent for cheaper prices.
Building through the draft tends to lead to higher chemistry and trust (you’re not cycling names in-and-out every year). The Packers have used this method heavily in the past, so there’s plenty of reason to believe it could continue.
The other option is to trade some of those picks. Draft picks have extremely high value in the NFL for the reasons I listed above. With 12, the Packers have more than enough to trade a few and still have plenty left over for themselves.
This option gets split into two sub-options. Green Bay could trade some picks for higher picks. They might make smaller moves, but don’t expect them to move up in the first round.
Sure, finding a way to get one of the first few picks and stealing Bradley Chubb would be crazy. Moving up into the top two would be ridiculously expensive though. I’m talking multiple first rounders, among other things.
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The other option would be to trade for an established player. If you’re prone to making bets though, stay away from this one. The Packers sticking with their picks over trading for a veteran seems much more likely.
There’s no telling what the Green Bay Packers will do when the NFL Draft rolls around this year. One things for sure though; with 12 picks they’ll be busy.