Packers Have Third-Most Capital in 2024 NFL Draft
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers aren’t just armed with the most selections for the 2024 NFL, they have the third-most draft capital at their disposal.
A few years ago, OverTheCap.com’s Jason Fitzgerald and Brad Spielberger put together their own trade-value chart. Recently, each team’s points for every pick were added together. No team owns more picks than the Packers, who have 11. And because they have four valuable picks in Day 2 – two in the second round and two in the third round – they not surprisingly have a high point total.
Once the numbers are crunched, only the Arizona Cardinals and Washington Commanders have more points – or draft capital – than the Packers.
Of note, the team the Packers are chasing in the NFC North, the Detroit Lions, have the fourth-fewest points. Having reached the NFC Championship Game, the Lions are picking toward the bottom of their rounds. Plus, they don’t have a fourth-round pick.
Thus, there’s an opening for Green Bay to make its move in the division so long as general manager Brian Gutekunst stays hot.
Just how hot?
If the 2024 season were to start today, the 2022 and 2023 draft classes might feature a combined 10 starters. That includes Quay Walker, Devonte Wyatt, Christian Watson, Sean Rhyan, Romeo Doubs, Zach Tom and Rasheed Walker from the Class of 2022. Luke Musgrave, Jayden Reed and Carrington Valentine are in line to start from the Class of 2023, and Lukas Van Ness, Tucker Kraft, Dontayvion Wicks, Karl Brooks, Colby Wooden and Anders Carlson figure to be key contributors.
The Packers last season had six rookies catch a touchdown pass, the most by any team in the Super Bowl era (excluding the strike season of 1987). Rookies contributed 191 receptions and 2,250 receiving yards, the most by any team since the 1970 merger.
“Draft and develop is the core of what we believe in, and it always will be,” Gutekunst said at the Scouting Combine. “I think that’s the best way to build a team, but I think in every avenue to acquire players that’ll help your football team, is going to be a part of how we go about it.
“We had a lot of guys [contribute as rookies in 2023] and very excited about where they’re going, but they just had a lot more opportunity than maybe these guys have had and they capitalized on it, and that’s a credit to them. But that’s always going to be the foundation of how we build football teams around here is the draft and develop. I think that’s really important that we’re committed to that.”
