The biggest need for the Packers heading into next week’s NFL draft is easily the offensive line.
The biggest challenge is to find a franchise quarterback. Once you nail that position down, your best option is to protect him. And that’s where the Packers currently stand.
Jordan Love proved that he’s the guy after throwing for 32 touchdowns and 11 picks this past year.
Which is why I love that Green Bay added Andre Dillard. It’s a low risk addition with a guy that had a 93 athleticism score in the 2019 NFL Draft. That’s why he was the 22nd overall pick by the Eagles.
I get that the 28-year-0ld has struggled to find his niche in the NFL, but finding depth on the offensive line is very important — especially now that the NFL plays 17 games a year.
Bring in as many offensive linemen and see what sticks. The Packers also have an ace in the hole. They have proven that they do an excellent job of developing the big fellas. That goes back to when the Packers took Adam Timmerman in the seventh round of the 1995 NFL Draft, Mark Tauscher in the seventh round of the 2000 NFL Draft, Scott Wells in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL Draft, Josh Sitton in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft, David Bakhtiari in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL Draft, Corey Linsley in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft and Zach Tom in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
That’s quite a list of guys that have been overlooked and cast aside. There weren’t many people that thought Bakhtiari was going to be one of the best left tackles in the game, but the Packers knew what they had and they molded him into a very special player.
Why can’t the same thing be done with Dillard? He is coming to Green Bay with loads of talent. He should be coming to Green Bay plenty hungry. He should be ready to prove the folks in Philadelphia and Tennessee wrong. In four seasons, he only started 19 games with lackluster production.
I love bringing in a veteran like that with plenty to prove and loads of talent to back it up. Obviously, the best reason is because it’s a very low risk situation for the Packers. Even if Dillard struggles, Green Bay isn’t going to be saddled with much.
But if he can figure it out and offer depth and leadership at a position that is thirsting for it, that would be a welcome sign for a team that just wants to keep their quarterback upright.
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE.
__________________________
Cory Jennerjohn is a graduate from UW-Oshkosh and has been in sports media for over 15 years. He was a co-host on “Clubhouse Live” and has also done various radio and TV work as well. He has written for newspapers, magazines and websites. He currently is a columnist for CHTV and also does various podcasts. He recently earned his Masters degree from the University of Iowa. He can be found on Twitter: @Coryjennerjohn
__________________________