The Green Bay Packers are scheduled to make their first selection in the 2026 NFL Draft at No. 52 overall. Nevertheless, the franchise could be preparing an aggressive approach to the event in order to better support Jordan Love heading into the upcoming season.
Last offseason, the Packers entered win-now mode by trading two first-round picks to the Dallas Cowboys for Micah Parsons. The bold move, however, did not produce the expected results, as the star pass rusher suffered a season-ending injury in early December.
Despite that setback, Green Bay believes its championship window remains open. Even without a first-round pick this year, the organization is determined to strengthen the roster around Love, and the draft may represent its best opportunity to do so.
Packers GM Brian Gutekunst hints at aggressive draft strategy
Entering an NFL Draft without a first-round pick is far from ideal. The Packers sacrificed significant draft capital for Parsons, hoping the addition would accelerate their path to contention.
After falling short of expectations in 2025, questions naturally emerged about the long-term impact of that trade. With no first-round picks in 2026 or 2027, the pressure is mounting on the front office to maximize every opportunity available.
However, lacking a first-round selection does not necessarily mean staying put. General manager Brian Gutekunst has indicated the Packers will evaluate all top prospects, hinting that moving up into the first round remains a possibility if the right prospect becomes available.
“It’s important that we don’t skip any of those steps,” GM Brian Gutekunst said on analyzing all top prospects, via Packers.com. “Getting to know these players inside and out, whether it be for this draft or going into free agency and their professional career is really, really important for us. So the groundwork that our scouts do on these players in college really does carry over quite a bit into our pro scouting staff and how we look at these players.
“It’s about winning now. If there’s players who we can sign that give us the opportunity to win now more so than holding out for a compensatory pick in 2027, that’s the decision we’re going to make. It’s a factor, but the most important thing is our ability to win in 2026.”
Packers’ key needs for the 2026 season
Green Bay has assembled a competitive roster around Jordan Love, but the 2026 offseason presents new challenges. Offensive linemen Sean Rhyan and Rasheed Walker are both set to enter free agency, making the offensive line a priority area of concern.
Protecting Love will be essential to the team’s success moving forward. For that reason, the Packers are expected to closely monitor top offensive line prospects and could consider trading up to secure a player capable of making an immediate impact.