The Green Bay Packers have had mixed results in their recent draft history. In a recent article on PFF, writer Michael Renner identified each team’s biggest draft mistake in the past five years. While the Packers have had some great successes in the draft over the past five seasons, they have also had some really bad misses. Renner’s selection of the Packers’ worst mistake, therefore, did not make much sense.
The Green Bay Packers Worst Draft Mistake According to PFF
In his article, Renner identified the first three picks of the 2020 NFL Draft as their worst mistake. According to him, those picks, Jordan Love, AJ Dillon, and Josiah Deguara, were mistakes because they started as backups and still remain so. He wrote:
“The Packers started off the Matt LaFleur era with a bang. They went 13-3 in his first year as head coach with a loss in the NFC championship game and turned around Aaron Rodgers from the downward trajectory of the end of the Mike McCarthy era. With a roster that looked only a few pieces away, the Packers’ front office obviously saw things differently. They drafted three straight backups with their first three picks (QB Jordan Love, RB A.J. Dillon and TE Josiah Deguara). Lo and behold, they finished with the exact same record and lost at the exact same point in the playoffs the next season. All three picks have remained backups to this day. “
Well Allow Me to Retort…
I’ll give Renner the Josiah Deguara argument. Even though Deguara is the only remaining tight end under contract with the Packers with any NFL experience, it is hard to believe that the team will roll with him as their starter.
Now, the Jordan Love pick was controversial at the time and remained so for the better part of three years. However, it sounds as if the Packers are ready to move on from Aaron Rodgers and make Love their starting quarterback. Love sat behind Rodgers for three years, the same amount of time as Rodgers sat behind Brett Favre. While it is yet to be seen how good Love will be as a starter, the fact that he was a backup for three years does not merit being listed as part of the Packers’ biggest draft mistake in the past five seasons. Now if he sits for a fourth year, then we can talk.
That brings us to AJ Dillon. How can one call drafting AJ Dillon a mistake by any stretch of the imagination. Dillon is barely a backup. He is more of a complimentary back. In 2021, when he was not the third running back behind Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams, he led the Packers in rushes (187) and rushing yards (803). In 2022, Dillon had very similar numbers (186 rushes for 770 yards). Dillon also has more rushing touchdowns (12) in the past two seasons than Jones (six). This is not to discredit Jones at all; he is a dynamic running back and the most lethal weapon on the Packers’ offense. However, labeling Dillon as a mere backup is both insulting and incorrect.
So What Is the Green Bay Packers Worst Draft Mistake of the Past Five Years?
I am sure there will still be a loud portion of fans that will say Jordan Love. If that is the case, they can go ahead and agree with Mr. Renner.
However, when looking back at the Packers’ last five drafts, what is notable (and not in a good way) to me is the 2018 NFL Draft. Yes, that is the year in which Green Bay took Jaire Alexander in the first round, and that pick has definitely worked out. The rest of the draft class, well, isn’t even on the team anymore:
- Second Round Pick- Josh Jackson
- Third Round Pick- Oren Burks
- Fourth Round Pick- J’Mon Moore
- Fifth Round Pick- Cole Madison
- Fifth Round Pick- JK Scott
- Fifth Round Pick- Marquez Valdes-Scantling
- Sixth Round Pick- Equanimeous St. Brown
- Seventh Round Pick- James Looney
- Seventh Round Pick- Hunter Bradley
- Seventh Round Pick- Kendall Donnerson
Moore, Madison, Looney, and Donnerson are not even in the NFL anymore. Only MVS and EQ St. Brown played through their four-year rookie contracts. Everyone else was let go early.
As far as draft mistakes go, hitting on just one pick from a class over the span of five years is pretty bad.
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FAQs
Will the Green Bay Packers Make the 2023 NFL Playoffs?
According to sportsbooks, the Green Bay Packers are currently ninth overall (+3000) to win the 2024 Super Bowl. This is the highest among 2022 non-playoff teams, signaling they’ll be playoff-bound.
Who Do the Green Bay Packers Play in 2023?
Aside from their divisional opponents (Vikings, Lions, and Bears), whom they place twice, the Packers play the Saints, Buccaneers, Chiefs, Chargers, and Rams at home in 2023. They’ll travel on the road to face the Falcons, Panthers, Broncos, Raiders, Giants, and Steelers.
Who Owns the Green Bay Packers?
The team is owned by Green Bay Packers, Inc., a publicly owned and traded non-profit. There are currently over 360,000 stockholders. Mark Murphy currently holds the role of Packers president and CEO, with plans to retire in 2025.
How Many Super Bowls Have the Packers Won?
The Packers have won four Super Bowls. These victories include Super Bowl 1 and Super Bowl 2 after the 1966 and 1967 seasons. Their next title came in Super Bowl 31, following the 1996 season. Their most recent championship was Super Bowl 45, crowning them the winners of the 2010 season.
