The Green Bay Packers have a few needs on their roster heading into the 2023 season. While there isn’t much that the front office can do to fill that void now, there will be a few people turning an eye toward next season.
While the regular season hasn’t even begun, some rough draft boards are already being put together for the 2024 NFL Draft. Over at ESPN, Matt Miller has put together his second 2024 NFL Mock Draft, this time after seeing teams around the league in preseason action.
The draft order was created using ESPN’s Football Power Index. Based on that, the Packers’ selection has landed at No. 7. With that pick, Miller believes that Green Bay will look to upgrade in the trenches, selecting Notre Dame offensive tackle, Joe Alt.
“We can assume based on the Packers’ drafting history that this pick won’t be a wide receiver, and we still don’t know what they have in Jordan Love at quarterback. Regardless, this roster is in need of some level of rebuild, notably along the offensive line. Left tackle David Bakhtiari turns 32 this season and has just two years left on his contract. Alt could slide in perfectly given his experience in a pro-style offense at Notre Dame. He surrendered just one sack and five pressures last season, and at 6-8, 320 pounds, the 20-year-old could bring power to the Green Bay offense.”
The Packers’ streak of not selecting a wide receiver, which Miller mentions, would reach 22 years if this is the direction that they go in. The last time a wide receiver was picked in the first round by Green Bay was 2002 when they selected Javon Walker out of Florida State.
This time around, passing on a wide receiver does make some sense. Their roster is loaded with high-upside, young pass catchers; if they are going to add another one next offseason, it should be an established wide receiver that can fit whatever the need is that the team has.
Upgrading the tackle spot would make a lot of sense. Counting on David Bakhtiari is certainly a risk given the knee injuries that he has battled the last few seasons. Next offseason, his cap hit is astronomical, so something will have to give. Either the Packers will work out an extension and keep him around, or release him.
If the latter is what they decide, Alt is someone who could step right into the lineup from Day 1 and find success. With Pro Bowler Elgton Jenkins locked in at left guard, the Packers would have elite help alongside Alt should he play on that side of the ball.
If he doesn’t look ready, Zach Tom could flip over to the left. The versatile second-year lineman is set to play right tackle this season but has experience all over the line. Green Bay has done a wonderful job of developing offensive line talent and Alt could be the next in line.
