Green Bay Packers Take Edge Rusher in Latest Mel Kiper Mock Draft

When we think of top needs that the Green Bay Packers have to address this offseason, cornerback and tackle come to mind first. Getting Kenny Clark some help and adding to the running back room is on the list as well. But one under the radar need — especially if the Packers cut Preston Smith — is the edge rusher position.

While Green Bay has a very good one-two punch in Za’Darius Smith and Rashan Gary, in today’s NFL, teams consistently play with a rotation of three edge rushers. Without Preston Smith, that likely leaves Green Bay with 2020 seventh-round pick Jon Garvin, undrafted rookie Tipa Galeai, or Randy Ramsey—if he’s back.

Now, that isn’t to say that one of these players can’t step up and fill that role; we just don’t know at this point. But bringing in a reinforcement to compete for that third spot isn’t a bad idea either.

With that said, will the Green Bay Packers address that need in the first round? ESPN’s Mel Kiper seems to think so.

In version 2.0 of Kiper’s 2021 NFL mock draft ($), he has the Packers selecting edge rusher, Joe Tryon, from Washington. Here is what Kiper had to say:

"“Tryon would be perfect for Green Bay’s 3-4 defense under new coordinator Joe Barry. Another opt-out of last season, Tryon had eight sacks in 2019. He needs to refine his pass-rushing moves, but he can bend around offensive tackles as a rusher and also set the edge in the run game. This could also be the spot to finally get Aaron Rodgers a Round 1 receiver.“"

As Kiper mentions, Tryon opted-out of the 2020 season and saw a bulk of his college snaps come in 2019 when he was a full-time starter. In 2018, he appeared in 12 of 14 games, two of which were starts.

According to Pro Football Focus ($), Tryon tallied 41 pressures in 2019, including eight sacks. He also recorded 25 stops — or plays that end in “failure” for the offense — along with 43 tackles.

Tryon lines up on both the left and right sides of the defensive front fairly regularly and was asked to drop into coverage 51 times, where he was targeted twice, allowing one completion.

Here is what Drae Harris of The Draft Network had to say about Tryon in his initial scouting report:

"“He typically will rush from an up or down position with equal effectiveness. He has excellent reactive athleticism with regards to body control and agility for a young man his size. He is a loose-hipped athlete who demonstrates fluidity when he plays on his feet. Setting the edge in the NFL will be no issue for this player.He is explosive off the edge and projects with elite upside with pro coaching. He has true schematic versatility in that he can be an outside LB in an odd front scheme or can gain weight and be a 4-3 defensive end.”"

Tryon is PFF’s 86th overall rated player in this draft class and listed as the 11th best edge rusher. While addressing edge rusher should be on Brian Gutekunst’s to-do list this offseason, is Round 1 when the top edge defenders like Gregory Rousseau, Jaelen Phillips, Kwity Paye, and Jayson Owen are off the board the place to do it? We will see—we’ve been surprised by Gutey before.

And while edge rusher may not be a top need for Green Bay, they’ll also want to avoid reaching for a player in the draft just because he fills a more immediate need. That’s how teams end up with draft busts.

A few notable players that were still available when the Green Bay Packers were on the clock in Kiper’s mock draft include Teven Jenkins, Liam Eichenberg, Rondale Moore, and Jalen Mayfield, among others.