100 Days of Mocks: Packers Trade Rodgers, Get Pass Rusher, Tight End
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers enter the 2023 NFL Draft with a substantial number of high-importance needs, outside linebacker and tight end among them.
By trading Aaron Rodgers for a first-round pick, as Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling did in a new three-round mock draft, they’d be positioned to fill an extra hole with a high-quality prospect.
With the 13th pick, which was acquired in the hypothetical Rodgers trade, Green Bay grabbed Iowa edge defender Lukas Van Ness.
“It looks like Aaron Rodgers to the Jets might be happening, and if it does, you can bet this pick will be heading to Green Bay in return, if not more,” Easterling wrote. “We all love to send receivers to the Packers in the first round, but it never happens in real life. Instead, they go defense (as usual), with a high-upside power rusher who can line up inside or out.”
Van Ness fits Green Bay’s big-guy mold. He didn’t start a single game at Iowa but was a high-impact player with 13.5 sacks in his two seasons.
With Green Bay’s own pick at No. 15, the pick was ultraproductive Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid.
As noted in part of the summation, Kincaid is the “best pure receiver” among a strong class of tight ends. NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah said he tries to avoid comparisons to “all-time great guys” but mentioned Kincaid in the same breath as Travis Kelce and Zach Ertz.
The Day 2 picks were used on a safety and a receiver with 4.33 speed.
Easterling went with Van Ness and Kincaid over the likes of Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer and Ohio State receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Speaking of those players:
CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards grabbed Kincaid.
Reasoning: It sounds as though Aaron Rodgers' career in Green Bay is coming to an end. While Rodgers was able to do more with less, Jordan Love needs a full complement of pass-catching weapons at his disposal. Dalton Kincaid is a fluid moving tight end capable of eluding defenders post-catch.
At Fox Sports, a staff mock draft went with Mayer.
Reasoning: There would be some delicious irony if the Packers draft an offensive skill player (non-QB) in the first round for the first time since 2008 right after getting rid of Aaron Rodgers. But Jordan Love (or Rodgers) definitely needs a dangerous and reliable tight end. The 6-4, 249-pounder who caught 138 passes for 1,649 yards and 16 touchdowns the last two years could really open up the Green Bay offense.
At Yahoo, Charles McDonald’s fifth mock went with Smith-Njigba.
Reasoning: Whether or not Aaron Rodgers remains in Green Bay, the Packers need to add some more receiver talent. Jaxon Smith-Njigba would be a nice fit with Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs as they continue to get younger at wide receiver.
The 2023 NFL Draft will be held in Kansas City on April 27 (first round), April 28 (second and third rounds) and April 29 (fourth through seventh rounds). With the two compensatory picks awarded on Thursday, Green Bay is scheduled to make 10 selections.
More Green Bay Packers Offseason News
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If Packers trade Rodgers, they’ll need a quarterback
100 Days of Mocks
Starting Jan. 17, when there were 100 days until the start of the NFL Draft, we started our mock-worthy goal of 100 mock drafts in 100 days. Here are the last 10 days of the series.
49 days: First-round playmakers and a seven-round mock
50 days: Rodgers, Jets and the first-round dilemma
52 days: Post-Scouting Combine roundup
All-Packers seven-round mock draft 1.0
53 days: Tight end, receiver in new mocks
55 days: Kincaid and figure-skating safety
56 days: The dreaded third-round tight end
