What The Packers Need

23 days until the NFL draft.

Yesterday I discussed where the Packers have spent their draft picks in recent years. Today I'm looking at what the Packers need:

1. Quarterback
   
2. Cornerback
   
3. Tight End
   
4. Offensive Guard

With Favre's retirement, the quarterback position has become the main area of need because QB Aaron Rodgers has so far proven he's as brittle as Favre was indestructible. Rodgers is going to be good next season, but the odds he plays in all 16 games is close to zero.

The Packers kicked the tires on a few free agent quarterbacks, but QB Trent Green signed in St. Louis, QB Mark Brunell signed in New Orleans, and QB Quinn Gray (who was the best of the bunch) signed in Houston. QB Gus Frerotte was also discussed but he just signed in Minnesota. Gonzo thinks the 36 year old Frerotte's still got some clipboard holding ability left in him, but I question whether he ever had any worthwhile ability. There isn't much, if anything, left in the free agent market, QB Craig Nall is probably as good as it gets, and the Packers appear to have moved on from the possibility of signing a free agent.

Instead the Packers will now look to the draft for Rodgers backup. This is the best move that they could've made from the start. Frank Coyle, along with many others, think this is a deep draft for quarterbacks. If a rookie needs to come in early for Rodgers next season, then that will be a problem, but probably by mid-season, and definitely by 2009, a quarterback drafted now will be better than any veteran available as a free agent or in trade. They don't necessarily need to draft the quarterback in the first round, since it's a deep draft they can wait until the 2nd or 3rd rounds and still find a good one, but it is a position that they should take care of with one of their top picks.