Packers’ 3 biggest mistakes in 2025 NFL Draft

Even if Alexander stays on the roster, the Packers still have a dilemma at their other starting outside cornerback spot. They lost Eric Stokes in free agency and failed to replace him in free agency, only signing nickelback Nate Hobbs.

While solid, Hobbs hardly plays on the outside. Neither does Keisean Nixon, who thrived in the slot for Green Bay in 2024. Hobbs’ addition likely forces one of the two to shift outside, where both have tended to be less efficient. Injuries are also a concern for Hobbs, who missed 16 games over the past three seasons. None of the other cornerbacks on the roster has any experience worth noting.

With a glaring need for help at cornerback, the Packers figured to use at least one of their early-round picks on the position. They instead opted to take two receivers in the first three rounds and did not draft a cornerback until the seventh round. Maybe Micah Robinson is the steal of the decade, but if not, this one feels like a misfire from Brian Gutekunst.

All these current issues are assuming the Packers can somehow mend the fences with Alexander before training camps begin. If they are forced to trade or release him, the situation only goes from bad to worse. Without the All-Pro cornerback, this is easily the weakest cornerback group in the NFL.

Packers still lack LB depth following 2025 NFL Draft

Despite losing veteran De’Vondre Campbell, the Packers’ linebacker corps showed encouraging promise in 2024. But behind their three starters, the position lacks depth. Green Bay only has three backup linebackers on the roster, including free agent acquisitions Isaiah Simmons and Kristian Welch.

In Jeff Hafley’s traditional 4-3 defense, the base of the scheme revolves around the linebackers. Edgerrin Cooper’s stellar rookie season created a solid trio with Quay Walker and Isaiah McDuffie, but the Packers also relied on Eric Wilson as a key rotational piece. Losing Wilson to the Minnesota Vikings in free agency stripped them of that depth.

Simmons, 26, is a fine backup, but his performances have steadily declined each year. In 2024, he received a dreadful 45.6 player grade from Pro Football Focus with the New York Giants. Should either of Green Bay’s three starters go down, the Packers would not want to see Simmons take on a full workload.

The Packers added one linebacker in the draft, taking Oklahoma State’s Collin Oliver in the fifth round. Oliver joins the team with many concerns, primarily the foot injury that held him to just two games in 2024. He also began his career as an edge-rusher before converting to middle linebacker. While his versatility is admired, he never looked as comfortable as a linebacker as he did as a defensive end in his freshman year.

Green Bay’s zone-based defense struggled against the pass in 2024 but was stout against the run, allowing just 4.0 yards per carry and 103.7 rushing yards per game. But even with the unit’s improvement, Brian Gutekunst’s decision not to add only one hybrid linebacker to the group is perplexing. The Packers are slated to begin training camp with just six linebackers on their roster.

Packers’ pass-rushing room still uncertain

After trading Preston Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Packers’ pass rush struggled down the stretch. The idea was to clear the way for 2023 first-round pick Lukas Van Ness, but the Iowa alum ended the year with just three sacks and six quarterback hits, a disappointing regression from his rookie season.

Two years removed from the torn ACL that prematurely ended his 2023 campaign, Rashan Gary also took a step back in 2024. Although he managed to make his first Pro Bowl, Gary’s 7.5 sacks in his sixth year were his fewest in a full season since 2020.

As a result of their all-around concerns, the Packers took one edge rusher in the 2025 NFL Draft. Texas’ Barryn Sorrell was their first defensive player taken in the fourth round. Oliver, who began his career as an edge rusher, can be viewed as a fringe defensive end but is officially listed as a linebacker. Both have the potential to make an immediate impact, but come with their own unique concerns.

Seen by some as a draft steal, Sorrell was the final player taken from the 2025 green room. He was viewed as a potential first-round pick in the preseason but saw his stock drop with a mere six-sack season in 2024. His numbers are nothing to look down upon, but for a player who was expected to be a game-wrecker as a senior, he was instead just another member of an elite defensive line.