Green Bay Packers: 3 Players to Avoid in Round One

The Green Bay Packers have a few needs to address in the 2020 NFL Draft, but would be best served to stay far away from these three players.

The Green Bay Packers have a good chance to add a difference-maker for the 2020 season with the 30th pick in the NFL Draft. There are a number of players who are projected to be available, especially at wide receiver, who could make positive contributions to the reigning NFC North Champions.

And that’s exactly what they need. With Aaron Rodgers another year older, the Packers’ Super Bowl window is nearing expiration. They’re in win-now mode at almost any cost. That means they can ill-afford a blunder when it comes to the top of this year’s draft.

The Packers already played conservatively in free agency, electing to go bargain shopping instead of swinging for the fences. Although that may be the smart move in the long run, it doesn’t help them win ball games this season. If they want to make up ground in the draft, they’d be smart to avoid these three players near the end of the first round.

Yetur Gross-Matos, EDGE, Penn State

Green Bay used a lot of resources to address the edge position last season when they signed Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith to huge free agent contracts. They also added Rashan Gary with the 12th overall pick. Although it might be somewhat attractive to add yet another pass-rusher to the group, Green Bay doesn’t have a need for an edge rusher and should stay away from Gross-Matos. At best, he’d enter the season as fourth on the depth chart, a luxury the Packers can’t afford.

Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin

There has been talk that Green Bay will draft a running back this year considering both Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams are set to be free agents in 2021. There have even been whispers they might select one early. Just, please, not in the first round.

Taylor is a fine running back who put up huge numbers at Wisconsin. He’s fast, strong and a very patient runner. However, he wouldn’t be the best back in Green Bay and wouldn’t improve their odds of winning in 2020. He also brings fumbling issues to the table. If Jones wasn’t on the roster, this might be a nice fit.

Jordan Love, QB, Utah State

Jordan Love could go in the top 10 of the draft or he could fall all the way to no. 30. Nobody knows how it will play out at this point. One thing is for sure, if he does fall to the Packers, they should avoid selecting him; as tempting as it may be.

Love’s tape was inconsistent at Utah State and he took a step backward last season. It’s easy to draw comparisons of a potential slip in the draft to Rodgers’ own experience in 2005. Regardless, the focus should be on addressing a need that wasn’t able to be fixed in free agency.