Endless think pieces were written in the buildup to Super Bowl LX about the Green Bay Packers drafting linebacker Lukas Van Ness out of Iowa in 2023 instead of the newly crowned Super Bowl champion, Seattle Seahawks receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba out of Ohio State. After the Seahawks beat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX, though, there's another player who Cheeseheads may be wondering about if Van Ness doesn't take a step forward in 2026.
Woelfel's Press Box's Gery Woelfel put it bluntly as Seattle was closing the door on New England in the one-sided 29-13 final, which Drake Maye's fourth quarter performance made seem like less of a blowout than it actually was.
"You don’t think the Packers are kicking themselves for drafting Lukas Van Ness instead of Christian Gonzalez in the 2023 draft? Van Ness, the 13th overall pick, has been a major disappointment; Gonzalez, the 17th overall pick, has become an elite cornerback for New England," Woelfel stated. "Some how, some way, the Packers need to find a CB like Gonzalez if they intend to make a deep playoff run next season."
Winning with pressure wins games. The Philadelphia Eagles, who led the league in sacks during the 2024 season, proved the same point that Mike Macdonald's Seahawks defense just proved this past year. Van Ness isn't delivering enough of that. Meanwhile, the Packers have a CB group in Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine, and Nate Hobbs, who are proving that the team is lacking a shutdown corner. That trio allowed a 14:1 touchdowns-to-interceptions ratio in 2025.
What if Gonzalez were in Green Bay instead? No need to wonder about it, since he probably just earned himself a long-term contract with the Patriots thanks to his play during their AFC Championship season. Green Bay needs to try to draft its next Gonzalez, more than likely.
Meanwhile, even with Van Ness, there's a need to get better up front to have a Super Bowl-worthy roster in America's Dairyland.
Yikes.
Brian Gutekunst Has One Draft Left to Prove His Worth
It's a little shocking that Brian Gutekunst is getting one more chance to draft. He and Matt LaFleur could've been easy cut candidates after the way the Packers folded in the postseason against the Chicago Bears. Ed Policy is offering grace, though it's unclear how far that grace will go during the 2026 campaign.
With their day one and day two NFL draft selections, Green Bay needs to find a disruptor up front and a coverage specialist who can consistently cover WR1s. While it certainly isn't an impossible task for Gutekunst to take on, it won't be a walk in the park, either.
We'll see if Gutekunst can get things right this April. Even with a new contract in his back pocket, Gutekunst needs to nail the 2026 draft as the front office weighs keeping guard Elgton Jenkins, defensive tackle Rashan Gary, and Hobbs, and shutting down big-game free agency hunting as a potential option.