OPINION: Rodgers’ Influence Could Change Draft Plans

It isn’t coincidence that the Green Bay Packers haven’t drafted a wide receiver in the first round of the annual National Football League college draft since 2002, but a shift in the front office just might change that.

In 26 years with general managers Ron Wolf, Ted Thompson and Brian Gutekunst, the Packers did not draft a wide receiver in the first round. In fact, only one — Jordy Nelson, 36th in 2008 — was taken within the first 50 picks. The team used two top-50 picks in the four years it let Mike Sherman call the shots, including 2002 first rounder Javon Walker and 2001 second rounder Robert Ferguson, taken 41st overall. Sherman, though, isn’t a protégé of Wolf and really had no business being a GM.

While fans — and the team’s quarterbacks — have been frustrated with the strategy, it’s hard to argue against it when they were churning out later picks like Nelson, Robert Brooks, Antonio Freeman, Greg Jennings, Randall Cobb and, of course, Davante Adams. 

The well has gone dry in recent years, which has led to pressure on Gutekunst. In his first year, Gutekunst drafted four three wide receivers, but has taken just one since then. None have been selected within the first 80 picks. It was his decision to take Jordan Love instead of a wide receiver in 2020 that led to tension between the club and star quarterback Aaron Rodgers. 

But now Rodgers just might have a say in the decision.

While the team will likely never admit it publicly, Rodgers is pulling at least some strings. The team made a bad trade for Randall Cobb prior to last season and in this offseason hired Rodgers friend Tom Clements to return as quarterbacks coach. The organization can say what they want about those moves, but does anybody really believe either would’ve been made without Rodgers pushing for them?

Rodgers, apparently, signed off on the team trading Adams. After the trade was announced, the Packers made sure to leak that Rodgers knew all along. Rodgers hasn’t posted anything on social media about it, however he did “like” the team’s Tweet announcing the trade. At the very least, we can gather that Rodgers wasn’t surprised. 

For all the talk about Rodgers’ frustration with the team, it’s pretty clear it really just boiled down to power. He spoke about how the team treats people, but the people are still the same and they didn’t even have the decency to let Adams know he was traded — the receiver said he found out on social media, just like everyone else.  But, Rodgers is happy nonetheless, because he clearly has some say in what the team does and, of course, signed the largest contract in NFL history. 

That contract gives Rodgers real power. If he were to retire or demand a trade, the Packers would be left with a crippling salary cap hit. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Packers would have a $68.205 million salary cap hit should Rodgers retire after the 2023 season. They’d have a difficult time fielding a competitive roster.

Rodgers was vocal after the 2020 draft that he liked some of the wide receivers. He even indicated that he told Gutekunst that he would be willing to offer input. After the draft, he specifically noted that he liked Tee Higgins, who went 33rd overall to Cincinnati. Higgins has nearly 2,000 receiving yards in two seasons, while Love hasn’t contributed. It’s hard to argue against Rodgers there.

The one position college football is producing better than ever before is wide receiver. That’s why teams have been willing to trade star players and some have followed the Packers in resisting the urge to spend early picks at the position. Despite that, Gutekunst hasn’t been able to hit on one. The jury is still out on 2021 third-round pick Amari Rodgers, but he had just four catches as a rookie. The three receivers drafted in 2018 are all on other teams — one could argue that Marquez Valdes-Scantling outplayed his draft slot, but the team wasn’t willing to pay him starting-caliber money this offseason.  

Don’t be surprised if, at some point, we learn that Rodgers has done his own pre-draft evaluations, even if they’re rather basic — like he did in 2020 — but this time the team actually accepts and uses them.

The Packers have two first round picks and the draft is said to be rich at the wide receiver position again. Don’t be surprised if the team actually takes one early this year, then grabs another in the second round. The team had Georgia’s George Perkins in for a visit last week and certainly will take long looks at players like Chris Olave of Ohio St. and Treylon Burks of Arkansas. 

Gutekunst might — emphasis on the word might — have the final say, but Rodgers has power and he will use it.