The Potentially Bittersweet Packers Collapse
Josh Frey
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The Green Bay Packers have started the 2022 season on a sour note. They’ve lost three consecutive games and now sit at 3-4 on the year. Aaron Rodgers has been unable to get in sync with his young receivers, and the defense has not quite lived up to the preseason hype.
Things could get worse before they get better, too. This weekend, Green Bay heads on the road to take on the 5-1 Buffalo Bills on Sunday Night Football. After that, five of their final nine opponents have a winning record, and another game is against the reigning Super Bowl champion Rams who sit at 3-3.
While this gauntlet makes it ever more likely that the Vikings will in fact claim their first NFC North crown since 2017, one nagging thought makes this season a potentially bittersweet Packers collapse.
What if the Green Bay Packers somehow, some way stumble into another future Hall of Fame quarterback?
Over the past 31 years, Green Bay has been blessed, and the rest of the NFC North has been cursed, with an unprecedented run of quarterbacking success. As Aaron Rodgers tenure in Cheese Land appears to come to an end, and Jordan Love continues to be uninspiring, this run of QB play that has included seven MVP seasons seems to be coming to an end.
Ladies and gentlemen, enter the 2023 NFL Draft. I’ve been on record saying that I’m not entirely convinced in this QB class, but there are others that have argued QBs could fly off the board in the first round, much like the 2021 Draft.
As of right now, the Packers hold the No. 16 pick if the season ended today. However, a 7-10 or 8-9 finish could land them within the top-12 fairly easily. This is prime real estate for selecting a QB, particularly if they don’t fly off the board in the top five picks.
Especially if Rodgers chooses to call 2022 his curtain call to the NFL, that could put the onus on the Packers to prioritize the quarterback position in the draft. With options like Will Levis or Hendon Hooker out there, that makes the decision a bit easier given their dynamic mobility and strong throwing arms.
Green Bay hasn’t selected a QB earlier than 24th in the Draft since 1981 when they took Rich Campbell with the sixth overall pick, and they’ve only picked within the top 10 four times since 1992. Poor football in Green Bay is truly unprecedented for this generation, and it will be very interesting to see how they approach next spring’s draft.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing as well as minors in History, Human Biology, and Journalism. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys marathon training, playing video games, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. For more of his opinions, check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.