The 2026 NFL Draft is now less than two weeks away, but barring something truly shocking, the Green Bay Packers will not be on the clock until two Fridays from now, having traded away their first-round selection. Their first selection at 52 overall should be in the middle of a really interesting group of defensive players, and unsurprisingly that side of the football remains the one that most analysts expect Green Bay to focus on with their selections this year.
Yes, the team added some veterans up
the middle of the defense, but there’s still work that can be done. The Packers are fortunate, however, that the strengths of this draft class seem to line up with the team’s needs, so sticking to the “best player available” model should line up pretty nicely with areas where the team could benefit from an immediate impact.
Of course, the question is what area the team will address first with that 52nd pick, and the answer will depend heavily on what players remain available at that point. Fortunately, we’re now at just two weeks out from finally knowing what that answer will be.
2026 NFL Draft needs: The one goal each NFC team must nail | NFL.com
Shockingly, this NFL writer agrees that the Packers’ big area to fix is their pass defense.
Past ties led Packers to add Zaire Franklin, Javon Hargrave | ESPN
Jonathan Gannon has connections to both players, while Packers GM Brian Gutekunst has apparently been after Franklin in particular for some time.
All-Packers Seven-Round Mock Draft: Hunting for Defensive Help | SI.com
Lee Hunter at 52 could fill a need, but is he a nose tackle? If the Packers grab Dani Dennis-Sutton at 84, however, the APC crew might lose our minds.
Packers linked to San Diego State CB Chris Johnson ahead of 2026 NFL Draft | Packers Wire
Johnson would certainly help one of those needs identified above.
Josh Sitton was a guard for any football era | Packers.com
One of Ted Thompson’s legendary fourth-round offensive line draft picks, Sitton was a deserving All-Pro in Green Bay.
