Draft weekend has come and gone. All 32 teams walk away from draft weekend feeling good about the players they added, but the reality is that not every move on draft weekend is going to be a home run. There are always winners and losers in the draft. For the Packers, some players came out of draft weekend feeling a sense of relief, and others were feeling more uneasy. The Packers brass themselves said the draft didn’t transpire the way they thought it might. Discussed below are a few of the Packers’ clear winners and losers from draft weekend (and a bonus one).
Winner: Jaire Alexander
Just one week ago, it was all but confirmed that Jaire Alexander would be playing elsewhere in 2025. Throughout 2024, there seemed to be frustration by both Alexander and the Packers. At the end-of-the-year locker room cleanout, Jaire declined any chance to talk to the media, aside from a cryptic statement or two. Later on this offseason, it was reported by multiple members of the Packers beat that the Packers were looking to trade Alexander. It seemed like every couple of weeks, there was something new in the news signaling the end to Jaire’s time with the Packers.
Knowing Alexander could be on his way out, many draft experts expected the team to draft a cornerback early. Instead, Gutekunst waited and waited and waited before finally taking cornerback Micah Robinson in the seventh round. A few days later, ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reported the team was willing to reconcile with Jaire. This was a change from what people were hearing all offseason.
Jaire has kept pretty quiet this offseason. He’s stayed out of the public eye, he’s been seen working out with teammate Xavier McKinney, and he’s been following the rookies on social media. Other than signing Nate Hobbs in free agency, the team has not addressed the cornerback position at all. All recent signs could indicate Alexander sticks around as a Packer for 2025, making him one of the biggest winners of draft weekend.
Loser: Rasheed Walker
Before the draft, the Packers were non-committal about how their offensive line would shake out. What is known is that Elgton Jenkins will move to center, Aaron Banks will slide into the left guard position, and Zach Tom will continue to hold down right tackle. Other potential offensive line configurations were discussed a while back, but the draft didn’t provide any clarity in how this competition will shake out. Instead, things got even murkier when General Manager Brian Gutekunst selected left tackle Anthony Belton in the second round last week.
Rasheed Walker, the fourth-year left tackle, heads into the final year of his rookie contract. He’s the incumbent starter at the position and has played pretty well, but now he faces more competition than ever. Former first-round pick Jordan Morgan is now healthy and will compete with Walker at left tackle. Also, Belton will compete at multiple spots. If Morgan and Belton show promise, Walker becomes expendable. He could lose the starting job altogether and be relegated to being a backup. Sure, Rasheed Walker could win the starting job at left tackle once again, but regardless, his future with the team after 2025 is in question.
Winner: Jordan Love
Down the stretch of the 2023 season, Jordan Love showed all the signs of becoming a top-tier quarterback in the league. While battling some injury issues throughout 2024, he didn’t exactly take the step forward everyone was hoping for. Looking ahead to 2025, Love has to be ecstatic with how the first two rounds of the 2025 draft played out. Gutekunst spent his first three picks on offensive players: two wide receivers and an offensive lineman.
First-round pick Matthew Golden is expected to slide in and be a big-time contributor in the passing game. While small in stature, he provides an element of speed and strong hands that the Packers have been looking for. Third-round pick Savion Williams is a big-bodied offensive weapon that can be lined up all over the offense. He’s strong, fast, and dynamic with the ball in his hands. Matt LaFleur is going to have a lot of fun getting these two incorporated into the offense, and getting the ball into their hands will be Jordan Love’s best friend.
Second-round pick Anthony Belton might not contribute right away, but he can help keep Jordan Love upright and healthy. The 2024 playoff game in Philadelphia demonstrated that teams can never have too many quality offensive linemen. While Belton might not start early on, Love will greatly appreciate Gutekunst drafting him if one of the usual starters go down. Gutekunst attacking offense early in the draft will have Jordan Love and the Packers offense primed and ready to take that next step forward.
Losers: Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs
While Jordan Love will benefit from the additions of Golden and Williams, fourth-year wide receivers Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs do not. Both Watson and Doubs head into the final year of their rookie contracts. When they are on the field, Watson and Doubs have been important pieces in the Packers’ offense since being drafted in 2022. The problem is that both have had issues staying on the field.
Watson has had a slew of injuries over his three years in the league, but now he will be coming off a torn ACL. He may not be healthy until December. Doubs has recently battled multiple concussions. He was also suspended by the team for how he handled his frustration with his role in the Packers’ offense. Neither player has a clean slate. Now with Golden and Williams joining the offense, Doubs and Watson may not only see their roles decrease, but they also may be in their last year as Packers.
Winner: The City of Green Bay
Green Bay, the host city of the 2025 draft, came out of draft weekend as the biggest winner of anyone. The league’s smallest city showed up and showed out. Officials were expecting around 250,000 people in attendance. Green Bay didn’t just exceed that number, they blew it out of the water. Over 600,000 people were in attendance to check out everything the city of Green Bay was showcasing.
The NFL Draft was the highlight event in the Green Bay metro area, but the city was filled with other events going on for guests to attend. Downtown Green Bay might not have been part of the draft experience, but it was still booming. While many of the official numbers are still being calculated, it’s estimated that the festival happening downtown Green Bay helped generate over $600,000.00 in economic impact. And that’s not including what the draft event itself helped generate for the city.
The draft itself turned out to be incredible. The crowd, the atmosphere, the fans – everything was top-notch. Guests from all over the country came and sang the praises of their experience in Green Bay. Many say there’s not much to do in Green Bay besides care about football, but that is what makes Green Bay so special. A+ grade for the hosting of the draft, and the best parts of Green Bay were on full display. Kudos, Green Bay.
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