Analyzing Packers’ Trade to Acquire Amari Rodgers

One media outlet gave the Packers a D for the trade. Here's what a scout said and who the Packers passed up in trading up to land Clemson receiver Amari Rodgers.

Author:
Bill Huber
Updated:
May 4, 2021 3:21 PM EDT
Original:
May 4, 2021

GREEN BAY, Wis. – When Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst traded up for Amari Rodgers in the third round of the NFL Draft on Friday, the team lost on the trade-value chart as well as in the court of public opinion.

WalterFootball.com gave the Packers a D and the Titans an A for the trade. “Why did the Packers trade up for Amari Rodgers? Did they do it for the memes? Even then, who was going to select Amari Rodgers in between pick Nos. 86-91? It was so odd that they traded up when there were plenty of receivers available of Rodgers' caliber. They basically flushed a fourth-round pick down the toilet. This obviously means the Titans won this trade.”

Gutekunst, obviously, doesn’t care about the grade. He wanted the player he considered drafting in the second round.

“Immediately after I got off the phone [with the Myers pick], I turned around to see if we could get back up to get Amari,” Gutekunst said afterward. “A couple of my guys had gone down to get something to eat, so we had to get everybody back on the phones fast. But we were trying pretty significantly to get up to go get Amari. It took us a little while longer than we wanted to.”

Trying to get into the middle of the third round, Gutekunst said four or five deals fell through before he finally was able to make the trade with the Titans.

“We paid a little bit of a price but I thought it was important because of the value of the player I wanted,” Gutekunst said.

Rodgers was a strong fit for Matt LaFleur’s offense and will fill a hole at slot receiver. He should provide instant yardage on manufactured touches such as screens and jet sweeps.

To WalterFootball’s point, who would have drafted Rodgers? That’s an unanswerable question. Houston took Michigan’s Nico Collins at No. 89, though the Texans’ attraction to Collins was probably based on his combo of skill and size at 6-foot-4. Cleveland took Anthony Schwartz at No. 91.

For what it’s worth, an NFC scout had Rodgers pegged as “late second round.” Asked about criticism of the trade, he said, “I guess everyone wants to pile on Gutey.”

Had Gutekunst stuck at No. 92 and Rodgers been selected before the Packers were on the clock, other players on the board included offensive tackles Spencer Brown of Northern Iowa, Robert Hainsey of Notre Dame and James Hudson of Cincinnati. Gutekunst said he hoped to get an early-round linebacker; Ohio State’s Baron Browning went at No. 105.

To move up, Green Bay gave up pick No. 135. That was Pittsburgh edge Rashad Weaver, followed by Florida cornerback Marco Wilson, Oklahoma cornerback Tre Brown, Marshall offensive tackle Josh Ball, East Carolina offensive tackle D’Ante Smith, Texas A&M inside linebacker Buddy Johnson, Central Florida receiver/tight end Jacob Harris, Ole Miss offensive lineman Royce Newman (by Green Bay), Missouri safety Tyree Gillespie and Florida State edge Joshua Kaindoh to close the round.