The Green Bay Packers wanted to make sure the Aaron Rodgers trade got done before the 2023 NFL draft to ensure the upgraded draft capital could help Brian Gutekunst’s team right away.
The deal was agreed to on Monday and will become official soon.
“It was very important for us,” Gutekunst said Monday. “Getting the capital for this year was very important. Certainly, more valuable than future stuff.”
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Packers swapped first-round picks with the New York Jets and received a second second-round pick in the 2023 draft, which begins Thursday. The deal also includes a conditional pick in the 2024 draft that can become a first-rounder, so the Packers are also getting considerable future value.
Once the trade is finalized, the Packers will hold the 13th overall pick, 42nd overall pick and 45th overall pick in the top 50 picks of the 2023 draft and a pair of first-round picks in the 2024 draft. The next two drafts provide Gutekunst will an incredible opportunity to build his team around Jordan Love, a first-round pick in 2020 who will be a first-year starter in 2023.
“We’re going to load up as much as we can in all three phases,” Gutekunst said.
The Packers also agreed to swap their second of two fifth-round picks (No. 170) for a pick in the sixth round (No. 207), a slot move of 37 picks on Day 3.
The Packers now have 11 total picks in the 2023 draft. According to Tankathon, the Packers possess the eighth most draft capital among the 32 teams entering the draft.
Updated list of Green Bay Packers picks in 2023 draft following Aaron Rodgers trade
