Five Things We Learned from the Packers Draft on Day Two

The Green Bay Packers added two more players on day two of the 2021 NFL Draft. In the second round, the Pack selected center Josh Myers out of Ohio State. In the third round, GM Brian Gutekunst traded up to add wide receiver Amari Rodgers from Clemson with the 85^th pick.

Here are five things we learned from day two of the Packers draft:

1. The Packers Continued to Draft for Need

In round one, the Packers selected a cornerback which was an area of need. That trend continued on day two as Green Bay took a center to replace the departed Corey Linsley and a wide receiver who can play in the slot and run gadget plays. That has really been a need since the departure of Randall Cobb two years ago.

Assuming Aaron Rodgers remains on the roster, the Packers should remain Super Bowl contenders in 2021. With that in mind, Gutekunst tried to address specific needs early in the draft to try to improve the team’s for talent and depth at those positions.

2. Versatility Along the Offensive Line Remains a Priority

Myers has the versatility that the Packers have craved along the offensive line since Gutekunst became the GM. In addition to playing center at Ohio State, he can play guard in a pinch. When you add his versatility to Elgton Jenkins, Billy Turner, Lucas Patrick and Jon Runyan, Jr. that should give Green Bay a lot of options when putting together their offensive line.

Myers has a high football IQ. He takes good angles on his blocks and works well one-on-one in a phone booth. He also adjusted well to blitzes. Myers called signals for the Buckeyes offensive line in college and will have the ability to do that again in the NFL once he gains some experience.  He also moves well in space which will help on screens, sweeps and draws.

Myers has quick feet and moves well in pass protection. He did struggle at times in college with larger nose tackles because he tends to keep his pads a little higher than scouts prefer but that may be corrected with good coaching.

At Ohio State, Myers made a lot of snaps out of the shotgun but also worked a bit snapping directly with the quarterback under center.

Because of his football IQ, he could step into the starting lineup immediately and allow Elgton Jenkins and Lucas Patrick to remain at guard.

3. Amari Rodgers Gives the Packers a Different Skill Set

All the other receivers on the Packers roster are at least six feet tall but Rodgers stands just 5’10” and weighs 210 pounds. He is ideally built to play in the slot which will be a good addition to the receiving corps.

Expect Rodgers to run jet sweeps, end arounds, screens and short passes out of the slot. He does not fear going over the middle of the field although he ran only a limited route tree in college and did not go deep often.

Rodgers can also return punts which is another area the Packers have been lacking. He is unlikely to be one of the team’s top two receivers as a rookie, but he will definitely contribute in multiple-receiver sets and rest assured that Matt LaFleur will design plays that will get Rodgers the ball in space where he is dangerous with the football.

The Packers will probably use Rodgers like a cross between Tyler Ervin and Randall Cobb and as he develops, he can become a major part of the Green Bay attack.

The Packers traded one of their fourth round picks (135^th overall) to trade up to get Rodgers.

4. Positions To Address on Day Three

The Packers still have other areas of need that they will likely address on day three including the interior defensive line, inside linebacker, offensive tackle and depth at safety and running back.

Another wide receiver is always a possibility as in another cornerback. The team also always values edge rushers and may take a flier on one in the later rounds of the draft.

5. Did They Satisfy Aaron Rodgers?

Last year, the Packers upset their franchise quarterback when they traded up to select his potential successor in Jordan Love and didn’t notify Aaron Rodgers about it beforehand (according to Rodgers). They didn’t draft a wide receiver in the entire 2020 draft which was considered one of the deepest drafts for wideouts in a long time.

This year, the Packers second and third round picks were designed to help the offense. Myers should help replace Linsley and protect Aaron Rodgers while opening holes for the running game.

Meanwhile, Amari Rodgers gives the quarterback the slot receiver he has craved since Cobb departed via free agency after the 2018 season.

Of course, people are wondering if this moves the needle at when it comes to making the Packers franchise quarterback happier about returning to Green Bay? It may be a step in the right direction, but clearly, Gutekunst, LaFleur and Mark Murphy have their work cut out for them to try to mend fences with the disgruntled league MVP.

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