Green Bay Packers: 3 Ways free agency affects 2019 NFL Draft strategy

2. They don’t need players that have to start in year one

The Packers, and other teams with quarterbacks nearing the end of their primes, focus on getting players that have to start and make an impact in year one. Green Bay doesn’t have to do that. They still have some time with Aaron Rodgers playing near the best that he’s ever been, and they’re also looking for ways to extend his prime by balancing the offense more with the run game.

After adding players in their prime during free agency, Green Bay now has the freedom to draft a prospect that is more likely to start in year two than in year one. They can use a pick on a guy like Andre Dillard that could require some patience use a year to develop at the NFL level after playing in the wide-open Washington State scheme. The moves they made set them up for success this year without making this an all in style push.

We’ve seen guys like Drew Brees and Tom Brady play at a very high level at an advanced age, and the Packers realize they can do the same thing with Rodgers. So, when they are drafting in late April, they can take a guy that might not start in the first year while they learn behind veterans, and they won’t feel like they wasted a draft pick.