Green Bay Packers ideal NFL Draft scenario post-Aaron Rodgers

The Green Bay Packers are going to need to move on from Aaron Rodgers sooner or later. If they don’t get a deal done in the coming days (which is possible), they are going to miss out on valuable 2023 NFL Draft compensation. The price to acquire Rodgers from the Packers dropped significantly after this past season, but why?

Well, for starters, Rodgers’ play took a bit of a decline last season, as did the Packers as a whole. No coincidence of the correlation there. Then you have the fact that, after the 2022 season, Rodgers took his “darkness retreat” and came back saying he was “90 percent” retired but then decided he wanted to play for the Jets. There’s not really competition for Rodgers’ services at this point now that he’s made those statements, and there’s also no guarantee that he will play beyond this season.

For that reason, the Green Bay Packers don’t appear poised to get a first-round pick from the Jets, but they might get their second-rounder this year (and something good next year). With that in mind, let’s say the Packers are able to get the 42nd overall pick from the Jets — in an ideal world. What might be an ideal NFL Draft scenario for GM Brian Gutekunst in the first year post-Aaron Rodgers?

Let’s look at the top three rounds (four picks).

Green Bay Packers’ ideal 2023 NFL Draft scenario post-Aaron Rodgers

1. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State (15th overall)

As funny as it would be to see the Packers go after a wide receiver in round one after Aaron Rodgers is done playing, I don’t know that there is a better scenario for this team in round one of the 2023 NFL Draft than to land the top receiver prospect in the class. Although Jaxon Smith-Njigba is not your prototypical WR1 in terms of size and athletic profile, but he’s going to be a high-volume target at the next level thanks to his ability to get open.

Actually, it’s kind of interesting to think about this scenario. Let’s say the Packers don’t trade Rodgers before the 2023 NFL Draft, what happens if Rodgers really likes the look of the offensive skill position groups after the Draft?

It might not be completely out of the realm of possibility.

At any rate, I think this is the top option for Green Bay in round one, and if you try to picture the “ideal” draft class for Brian Gutekunst in 2023, there’s no way Smith-Njigba isn’t in it.

2. Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia (42nd overall, from Jets)

Again with the irony. Aaron Rodgers finally leaves and the Packers start going after skill players to upgrade the offensive weaponry. That was what this team became infamous for over the last 10 years and there’s no way they can sustain that model going forward.

If the Packers are able to land a pick like this from the Jets, I can’t imagine a better scenario than someone like Darnell Washington sitting there staring them in the face. Washington is a big-bodied freak of a specimen at the position who is NFL-ready in terms of his run-blocking, which seems to be rare for the position coming out of the college ranks these days.

Washington has elite athleticism, length, and very unique abilities after the catch for his frame. If you add both Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Darnell Washington to this Packers’ offensive arsenal, what could be a more ideal duo of picks to start off the Draft than that?

3. Adetomiwa Adebawore, EDGE, Northwestern (45th overall)

I think it’s probably more likely that we see Adetomiwa Adebawore go in the first round than in the middle of the second round, but this is how the Mock Draft Machine spit the prospects out. If the Packers are staring this option in the face, it would only add to the “ideal” Draft scenario for GM Brian Gutekunst.

Adebawore is just an outstanding athletic specimen and if the Packers could add him as a long-term option along with guys like Rashan Gary, Devonte Wyatt, and Kenny Clark on that defensive front? This unit could take a big step forward in 2023.

3. Jartavius Martin, DB, Illinois (78th overall)

What do you love to see in the third round of the NFL Draft? Well, you want to see guys who could be eventual starters for you, you love to see value, and you certainly want to see versatility. I think Jartavius Martin could end up being a lot of teams’ top target in rounds 3-4 thanks to his ability to play multiple positions in the secondary.

And he can play them right away at the NFL level. You need him to play safety? Done. Slot? Done.

The Green Bay Packers would probably love to have a versatile defensive back like Martin in this pick slot. I know it’s just a third-round pick but this is the kind of guy who can end up being such a good value because his floor is very high.

Green Bay Packers ideal 2023 NFL Draft recap

1. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
2a. Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia
2b. Adetomiwa Adebawore, EDGE, Northwestern
3. Jartavius Martin, DB, Illinois

This kind of draft class would support Jordan Love (or Aaron Rodgers). This draft would present excellent value at every turn. This draft would give the Packers a variety of instant contributors. Even if you knock out one of the second-round picks, this kind of draft class has the potential to be one of the best in the league given the Packers’ current context.

I think landing a player like Smith-Njigba is a borderline must for the Packers at this point and so is taking advantage of the depth of the tight end class. The Packers don’t have to go there in round one, but they very well could. One way or another, it’s time for Brian Gutekunst to change course a little bit and go after some talented skill players.