From Free Agency to Draft, Perfect Ways for Packers to Fill Remaining Holes

For the Green Bay Packers, there is still work to be done to get the roster back to a spot where they could contend for a championship this fall.

They have done some work at their biggest positions of need, but the roster attrition that took place from those who left the team has created new needs.

Now, with a look at the four biggest roster needs, we give what could be three perfect ways to fill them. We can start with the biggest and most obvious position.

Defensive Tackle

Free Agent: D.J. Reader

Sometimes, the free-agent market provides obvious solutions to problems.

Two years ago, the Packers desperately needed to upgrade their safety room. Xavier McKinney was the top safety on the market. Two years later, he’s one of the best players on the Packers, and a staple in their locker room.

Veteran defensive tackle D.J. Reader is not as obvious of a solution in Green Bay from the standpoint of he does not fit the type of free agent they usually prefer. Reader will turn 32 in July, so his best days are likely behind him. The Packers don’t need his best days in front of him, and beggars cannot be choosers.

The Packers have a significant need at nose tackle to run the 3-4 defense they’re set to employ under new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon.

The signing of Javon Hargrave does not remedy that situation. If the Packers had to line up for a game tomorrow, their starting nose tackle would likely be one of Nazir Stackhouse or Jonathan Ford. That’s not an ideal situation.

Reader has the size needed, tipping the scales at 330 pounds. He started 32 of a possible 34 games the last two seasons with the Lions.

Defensive tackle is a tough position for rookies to make an impact, so the Packers, a team with Super Bowl aspirations, could use a veteran.

One question to consider is whether they would be willing to give up a compensatory pick to sign Reader.

The Packers are set to gain a war chest of compensatory picks thanks to the departures of Romeo Doubs, Kingsley Enagbare, Quay Walker and Malik Willis in free agency. Would they be willing to potentially lose one of those picks to sign Reader?

Let’s ask the question this way. Should a team in their Super Bowl window be relying on an undrafted free agent like Nazir Stackhouse, a journeyman Jonathan Ford or a nonpremium draft choice to build up the spine of their defense?

The answer is absolutely not.

Beginning on the Monday after the draft, free agents like Reader can be signed with no impact on compensatory picks. Maybe the Packers are waiting to see who they’re able to draft. The alternative is making a move now and using their limited draft capital at another position.

Second Round: Christen Miller, Georgia

Similar to the situation in free agency, sometimes a draft prospect fits a team’s need perfectly falls in the range where he could realistically get picked.

Philadelphia’s Cooper DeJean was a player like that two years ago, and the Packers did not draft him. Two years later, they’re likely regretting that choice as DeJean is a Super Bowl hero and Jordan Morgan is a relative unknown.

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets running back Chad Alexander (27) is tackled by Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman Christen Miller. | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Christen Miller is not a perfect prospect by any stretch but does fall in range where the Packers could be picking in the second round. Miller is a powerful defensive lineman who played some of his best football as the season came to a close in his final year at Georgia.

Brian Gutekunst loves his former Bulldogs and could reunite Miller with Nazir Stackhouse and Warren Brinson, a pair of former Georgia defensive linemen added last year.

Miller is more talented than both players and would likely require a second-round pick for the Packers to acquire him.

One potential issue is the lack of athletic testing for Miller. He does not have a full athletic profile, something that Brian Gutekunst and his staff have proven to value during his time as the man in charge in Green Bay.

Is that something they’re willing to overlook? They might have to.

Day 3: Chris McClellan, Missouri

What if the Packers forgo the idea of adding a nose tackle and simply want to add some juice to their defensive line? They may look at nose tackle as a position they try to make do with for the 10 to 15 snaps per game that he’ll be on the field and try and build their defensive line with players who can be more disruptive.

Chris McClellan out of Missouri, who had six sacks and eight tackles for losses in 2025, could be someone who fits the bill in that case.

The concern with McClellan would be his athleticism. McClellan’s agility numbers came in slower than where the Packers typically have preferred when drafting a defensive tackle, including a three-cone time of 8.18 seconds.

On Day 3, the thresholds tend to loosen a little bit, so perhaps the Packers could see the need to add someone whose tape they liked while adding a 313-pound body to the roster.

Cornerback

Second Round: Chris Johnson, San Diego State

Every year, the fanbase falls in love with a prospect and considers him the perfect player to fit the needs the Packers have at a specific position.

This year, that appears to be San Diego State’s Chris Johnson.

The problem with Johnson is that he has gone from someone who could be available in the second round to someone who is gaining more buzz.

Johnson was referred to as an ideal prospect for Green Bay by NFL Draft on SI, and he could be someone that jumps in immediately to push the trio of Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine and Benjamin St. Juste for playing time.

San Diego State defensive back Chris Johnson catches a pass at the Scouting Combine. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Packers not only need to improve the depth of their cornerback room, with Nixon and Valentine set to see their contracts expire at the end of the 2026 season, but the quality.

The last Packers team that won the Super Bowl started Tramon Williams, Sam Shields and Charles Woodson in the secondary. Do any of the aforementioned cornerbacks give flashbacks to that star-studded group? Probably not.

Johnson isn’t going to be Woodson right away, but the Packers need more talent and need to invest in the position. They have not taken a cornerback above the seventh round since Eric Stokes was their first -round pick during in 2021.

Third Round: Malik Muhammad, Texas

We recently mocked Malik Muhammad to the Packers in the third round with a pretty significant qualifier. He’s skinny. Muhammad was 182 pounds at the Scouting Combine, which would be smaller than the Packers typically prefer when they’re using early draft choices on cornerbacks.

Muhammad showed up later that week to his pro day weighing 190 pounds. That weight gain should put him firmly into consideration when the Packers are on the clock.

Muhammad has played in a lot of big games at Texas and has a knack for competitiveness, specifically at the catch point.

The Packers could use some ball skills in the secondary, as well, after their cornerbacks intercepted only one pass during the regular season. Muhammad had two picks and six passes defensed during his final season.

As a third-round pick, Muhammad may not be asked to start immediately, but he’d certainly have his chances to compete with the top of the depth chart for time on the field.

Day 3: Daylen Everette, Georgia

Daylen Everette could find his way into the third round if there is a run on cornerbacks but is more likely to be selected on Day 3.

Everette has the required size to play cornerback in Green Bay at 6-foot-1 and 196 pounds, and he certainly ran fast enough with a 4.38 40-yard-dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. He excels in zone coverage, is physical and a willing tackler.

A Day 3 pick is unlikely to start immediately, but with the lack of depth in Green Bay, there is a good chance that Everette could play his way into seeing the field early for Jonathan Gannon.

Edge Rusher

Free Agent: Joey Bosa

With the losses of Rashan Gary and Kingsley Enagbare, the Packers have a hole at defensive end even when Micah Parsons returns from his ACL injury sometime in late September or early October.

That hole could be filled internally with Barryn Sorrell, Brenton Cox and Collin Oliver, but neither player has done much in their NFL career to inspire a lot of confidence in that happening.

Sorrell was a healthy scratch at times during last season, Oliver has played in one NFL game and Cox missed most of last season with a groin injury.

Earlier this offseason, we talked about the Packers potentially looking at some pass rushers who are not only adept at chasing down quarterbacks but with a burning desire to chase a championship.

Khalli Mack would have been the top choice for that job, but he re-signed with the Los Angeles Chargers before anyone could even place a bid on him.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) is sacked by. Buffalo Bills defensive end Joey Bosa. | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Joey Bosa tried to play that role a season ago in Buffalo, but the Bills fells short in the divisional round of the postseason.

Bosa has a motor that runs hot and would fit in well with Parsons. He could start early in the season across from Lukas Van Ness before being content to take a situational pass rushing role when Parsons is allowed to handle a full workload.

Bosa’s not the same player he used to be when he was younger but still can be disruptive. He had five sacks and a whopping five forced fumbles last year. As he ages, an opportunity like one that presents itself in Green Bay could be a perfect situation for both parties.

Day 2: Derrick Moore, Michigan

It seems most mock drafts have the Packers taking an offensive lineman, cornerback or defensive tackle with their first pick of the draft in the second round.

It stands to reason. Those three spots were pressure points for the team a season ago. One other thing is true: The Packers have never shied away from investing in their pass rush.

Gutekunst’s first offseason with Matt LaFleur as coach saw him bring in Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith as high-dollar free agents before using the 12th overall pick on Rashan Gary. He has used another top-15 pick on Van Ness and traded two first-round picks for Parsons.

Looking ahead to 2027, the Packers will have Parsons under contract but almost nothing but questions otherwise.

Van Ness could be a free agent depending on what the Packers do with his fifth-year option. Cox will be a free agent. Sorrell and Oliver could prove themselves to be quality NFL players or back-of-the-roster fodder.

The moral of the story is, don’t rule out their first pick being used on an edge rusher. Should they do that, Derrick Moore out of Michigan is someone who could fit the billing.

Moore, who measured 6-foot-3 7/8 and 255 pounds at the Scouting Combine, was a three-year contributor for the Wolverines, and a full-time starter each of the last two years. He had 10 sacks last season and 19 during his final three seasons.

He played standing up and with his hand on the ground for the Wolverines. As Green Bay transitions to a 3-4 defense, it’s unknown what they’ll ask their rushers to do, so having experience in both stances cannot hurt Moore’s cause.

Day 3: Caden Curry, Ohio State

From a Wolverine to a Buckeye. Caden Curry is someone who the Packers could target later in the draft if they’re looking for more pass-rush production.

Curry, who measured 6-foot-2 3/4 and 257 pounds at the Scouting Combine, piled up 12 sacks in his breakout season with the Buckeyes. He rushes with power, which is something the Packers have tried to put an emphasis whenever they’ve used a top draft choice on a pass rusher. That may not matter as much later in the draft, but it cannot hurt Curry’s case.

Offensive Line

Free Agent: Kevin Zeitler

Gutekunst has typically shied away from older players in free agency, but he found two players over the age of 30 this offseason with Zaire Franklin and Javon Hargrave.

Could he add another on offense?

If he did, what about a veteran guard like Kevin Zeitler? Anthony Belton was the team’s right guard down the stretch last season. He had some bright spots, but also some really low moments. There’s no reason his starting spot should be set in stone without some competition being added to the room.

That is especially true for a team in a Super Bowl window. The Packers have the money to make things happen, and Zeitler should not be incredibly expensive.

With almost 14,000 snaps at right guard, he could provide some insurance if Belton struggles. If Zeitler were to win the starting job, it wouldn’t necessarily hurt Belton’s development. If Belton wins the job, even better, because competition brought out the best in him.

With the top six offensive linemen in place in Green Bay, the likelihood of another addition to the room outside of the draft is small, but if the Packers really wanted to insulate the room, they could do worse than the Wisconsin native who has made 213 career starts.

If nothing else, after reaching the playoffs only twice the last decade, he should be hungry to play for a winner.

Day 2: Blake Miller, Clemson

Clemson offensive lineman Blake Miller runs the 40 at the Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The second day of the draft could get interesting because someone like Blake Miller could be long gone by the time the Packers are on the clock. He’s big, talented and played at a premier school. Typically, guys like that do not sit on the board for long, but the consensus thinking is Miller will be taken some time in the second round.

If he is, the Packers could view him as insurance in case Jordan Morgan fails at left tackle. Even if Morgan is able to find his footing on Jordan Love’s blindside, the Packers do not have a solid plan at swing tackle.

Darian Kinnard would likely fill that role with the way the roster is currently constructed, but he’s better suited to play inside or at right tackle; he hasn’t played a significant number of snaps at left tackle since he was a freshman at Kentucky in 2018.

Miller played right tackle at Clemson, so there would be some projection here as to whether he would be able to play on the left side.

Day 3: Brian Parker, Duke

Brian Parker is a tackle prospect who is likely to move inside at the next level. He sounds like a Green Bay Packers almost immediately, similar to when it selected Zach Tom, who was a tackle prospect who was expected to move inside to center.

Tom proved to be too good at tackle to move inside, so the Packers have tried to find other remedies to their interior line while Tom has become their entrenched starter at right tackle.

Parker may not become a rock-solid right tackle for the Packers, but he can provide the ability to play out there in a pinch while moving inside to improve the depth on the interior.

As of now, Green Bay’s backup center is Parker’s former college teammate, Jacob Monk. Monk’s only start came in the meaningless Week 18 game at Minnesota. When Elgton Jenkins was injured last year, the Packers opted to move Sean Rhyan from guard rather than inserting Monk.

Parker, who focused on center during the East-West Shrine Bowl, might be someone that Gutekunst himself sprints the card to the podium if he’s available when Green Bay is on the clock on the fourth round.

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