Packers fans have every right to be excited about the prospects GM Brian Gutekunst and his front office were able to land in the 2025 NFL Draft. That does not mean Green Bay answered all of their outstanding roster questions with their impressive draft haul.
It's clear the Green Bay Packers did not feel compelled to draft based on need. Instead, Gutekunst opted to take the best player available at almost every turn. That's generally the best way to accrue the most talent in any given NFL Draft.
The downside to that strategy is that now Green Bay will be hard pressed to reinforce the weak spots on their depth chart ahead of the regular season. That heaps pressure on head coach Matt LaFleur and his staff to work some magic to paper over the team's roster deficiencies. The following three questions should be dominating the news cycle in Green Bay in the aftermath of this year's draft.
1. Is a Jaire Alexander comeback looming?
Many mock drafts had the Packers spending a premium selection on an outside cornerback to replace Jaire Alexander. Instead, Green Bay waited until Round 7 to address the position of need. The team tried to trade Alexander during the draft but were unable to find a taker for the high-priced veteran.
Predictably, reports are now popping up that a reconciliation between Alexander and the team that drafted him might be in the cards. Despite his injury history, he's still the most talented outside cornerback on the team's roster. Alexander might be more motivated than ever to shine this season after learning that no other team was willing to pay the $17 million owed to him after a trade.
According to a source, the Packers and Jaire Alexander continue to talk about a possible resolution, which could include a reconciliation to where Alexander plays for the Packers in 2025 after all.
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) April 29, 2025
All options are still on the table: release, trade or return.
At this late stage of the offseason, it makes sense for Green Bay to try to mend fences with Alexander. He's more talented than any cornerback they might be able to land in a trade. That's an important quality for a team that believes they have the talent required to be Super Bowl contenders.
It's vital for everyone involved that the matter is resolved quickly. To Alexander's credit, he is participating in the team's preseason workouts at the moment. That's the first step towards getting back in LaFleur's good graces. If he starts the preseason with the team it could lead to a bounceback season for the former Pro Bowler.
2. Is the team's pass rush really any better?
Edge rusher was another position that numerous mock drafts thought the Packers might address in Round 1. The team's decision to go with wide receiver Matthew Golden at No. 23 forced the franchise to wait on trying to strengthen their pass rushing options.
The bigger surprise was that Gutekunst waited until Round 4 to boost his options up front with Barryn Sorrell. The franchise doubled down on rookie edge rushers by selecting Collin Oliver in the fifth but it still represented a modest investment in a position of profound need for Green Bay.
It would be great for the Packers to see one of those rookies drastically outperform their draft slot. The odds are stacked against that. Instead, it seems that Green Bay is banking on internal improvement from a young defensive lineman on their roster. Lukas Van Ness finally breaking out is the best lottery ticket at the Packers' disposal.
If neither rookie pops then Green Bay might need to go shopping for an edge rusher ahead of the trade deadline. That's not a path the Packers want to go down but they cannot afford to leave Rashan Gary out on an island for yet another season.
3. How will the wide receiver room shake out?
Golden is a great fit for the deep patterns that quarterback Jordan Love wants to take advantage of in 2025. His acquisition does make the team's wide receiver room quite crowded heading into training camp.
Jayden Reed is a solid bet to start in the slot which leaves one more starting outside position up for grabs. Christian Watson won't be ready to start the year due to injury. That leaves Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks and rookie Savion WIlliams to battle it out for the other start.
Doubs was suspended for complaining about his target share last season. He's also set to hit free agency after this season. No Packers fans should be shocked if his name pops up in trade talks in the coming weeks.
Drafting two rookie wide receivers also decreases the odds of veteran Mecole Hardman making the 53-man roster. It's not as if he has a strong record of special teams play to boost his case to make the roster.
When Watson returns things get even more complicated. At least one wide receiver is going to be moved before he returns to the lineup. The identity of that receiver could be determined by what sort of return the Packers can get in a trade.