The Green Bay Packers are in a position entering the 2023 NFL draft where both moving back to add draft capital and moving up to get a blue-chip player make sense. Situated at No. 13 overall, the Packers are in somewhat of a gray area mid-round where there’s a chance a top player may fall into range for a trade-up but also a chance all the top players will be off the board if they stay put.
Albert Breer of SI.com already reported the Packers could move back and target a tight end later in the first round. Now, Lance Zierlein of NFL.com says the Packers are one of a few teams interested in moving up for the “right guy.”
Who could be a move-up target? Think one of the top edge rushers (Will Anderson, Tyree Wilson) or offensive tackles (Paris Johnson, Broderick Jones), or maybe Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter if he falls, or even Ohio State receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba if the Packers don’t think he gets to 13.
It’s possible a player the Packers deem to be an elite prospect will still be on the board within range of a realistic trade-up, especially with four quarterbacks and a few cornerbacks expected to go in the top 10 picks.
Brian Gutekunst has a long history of trading up. He moved back up after trading down in the first round to get Jaire Alexander in 2018, moved up to get Darnell Savage in 2019, moved up to get Jordan Love in 2020 and tried his best to move back into the first round and get Christian Watson before eventually landing him in the second round in 2022.
This draft class isn’t viewed as deep in can’t-miss prospects in the first round. While the Packers probably wouldn’t mind moving back from No. 13 to gain an extra Day 2 pick, aggressively going up to get a player they feel is a franchise-changing player is a realistic option, especially considering all the draft capital the Packers possess going into the proceedings.
Gutekunst already got the Jets to swap first-round picks, improving his position by two spots. A move up a few more spots can’t be ruled out during the first round.
Just for reference’s sake, here are the top 10 players on Dane Brugler’s top 100 big board:
1. QB Bryce Young
2. OLB Will Anderson
3. DL Jalen Carter
4. QB C.J. Stroud
5. CB Christian Gonzalez
6. RB Bijan Robinson
7. OL Peter Skoronski
8. OLB Tyree Wilson
9. CB Devon Witherspoon
10. OLB Lukas Van Ness
