The Green Bay Packers have dominated the NFL Draft in recent years. Despite rarely having the opportunity to score a high pick, they've built a roster that can not only contend in the NFC, but that is also one of the youngest in the NFL.
Yet, that won't make Packers fans any less disappointed to hear what general manager Brian Gutekunst had to reveal about the team's plans with their first-round pick on Thursday.
Brian Gutekunst QUICKLY says “No” when asked if they need their first-round pick to contribute right away.
— Peter Bukowski (@Peter_Bukowski) April 21, 2025
Insists they try to take BPA
Gutekunst revealed that Green Bay will try, as usual, to draft the best player available. This is a great strategy, even though some fans may want to see him try to force the issue and land a true No. 1 receiver. But the disappointing part is how adamant he was about not needing early contributions from their first-round pick.
Rookies often have to go through a steep learning curve to acclimate to the NFL game, but that's not always the case. Just consider last year's draft. The Packers needed a corner. Fans were clamoring for Cooper Dejean or Quinyon Mitchell. They passed on both, and each guy proved to be a crucial contributor to the Philadelphia Eagles' Super Bowl run.
Jordan Morgan, the Packers' first-round pick, only played more than 60% of the available offensive snaps in one game all season before landing on injured reserve in Week 11. And 2023 first-round pick Lukas Van Ness has still yet to play even 40% of the available snaps in a season.
The Packers are good, but nobody is so good that they can't benefit from instant contributions from their first-round pick.
Of course, teams shouldn't make rash decisions in hopes of getting immediate contributions. There's no need to force the issue with a high-floor player that might not have much upside, or by overdrafting someone at a position of need.
And Gutekunst didn't rule out early contributions, only highlighted that the team doesn't need them. But the speed at which he shut down the question certainly raises some eyebrows.
If he misses out on another DeJean or Mitchell now, Packers fans won't be quick to let him live it down.