Are the Packers improving?

Has the Packers' Roster Improved, Stayed the Same, or Gotten Worse?

The Packers have already had a busy month of March. Seven starters are no longer on the team. Players who combined to play over 3,300 offensive snaps, 3,000 defensive snaps, and 700 special teams snaps are gone. The Packers signed three players in free agency, but it’s fair to say that more was lost than gained.

Brian Gutekunst is banking on some addition by subtraction. He let some key players go because he felt comfortable with some in-house replacements. He also prioritized gaining draft capital and cap space rather than spending significant money in free agency. It’s smart thinking for the long-term, but does it come at the price of the short-term outlook?

The roster is far from finished. There’s still a lot of ballgame left. The draft is only a month away, and there will be another wave of free agents signed sometime after that. But now that the first wave of free agency has wound down, it felt appropriate to take a position-by-position look at which groups have improved, which groups have stayed the same, and which groups have gotten worse.

Team Building Season - Packer Transplants Live 320

The Packers offseason has been anything but quiet — and CHTV co-founders Aaron Nagler and Corey Behnke are here to break it all down. From surprising roster moves to shifting team-building philosophy, the guys dive into everything Brian Gutekunst and the front office have done to reshape the roster heading into 2026.

Could Packers First Pick in 2026 Draft Be an Edge Rusher?

At this time of year, fans of all 32 teams have their shopping lists ready ahead of the NFL draft, having identified the urgent needs their club needs to fill, as well as their favorite players at those positions.

In Green Bay, general managers over the years have made a habit of looking ahead with their premium draft picks, analyzing what their long-term roster needs could be, rather than just the holes that need plugging in the present.

That, along with their general preference to simply take the best player available, has led to some 1st and 2nd round picks Packers fans may not have seen coming, or thought were the best use of resources at the time, given the state of the roster at that moment.

This year, the defensive tackle (specifically nose tackle) and cornerback spots have been earmarked as the most in need of additions.

It is true that Green Bay is overdue for premium draft investments at those spots, having taken just one defensive tackle in the first three rounds since Brian Gutekunst succeeded Ted Thompson in 2018, and three cornerbacks, two of which were in his first draft.

Based on how the board looks to be shaping up though, and the underrated need for another pass rusher, do not be surprised if the Packers go EDGE with their first pick in the 2026 draft. Green Bay is slated to make their first pick 52nd overall.

Newt’s Guys: The Draft Prospects Packers Fans Need to Know

It’s that time of year—when everyone has their guys… and Newt is no exception. CHTV NFL Draft analyst Newt Westen breaks down some of the prospects he is higher on than consensus. The players he’s pounding the table for, where he’s betting on traits over consensus rankings, and how those evaluations could line up with what the Packers typically look for on draft weekend.

Packers Have Hit Home Runs Recently in Round 2

The 2026 NFL Draft starts in a little under a month and all eyes in Green Bay will not be on the first day of the draft, but be on the 2nd day of the draft.

Because of the trade for Micah Parsons, this year it is likely the first time since 2008 that the Packers will not be picking in Round 1. Despite the disappointment on the Thursday of the draft, not having a first round pick, the second round has been the Packers best round since Ted Thompson took over in 2005.

Starting with the selection of Nick Collins in 2005, the Packers under both Thompson and current general manager Brian Gutekunst, the Packers have selected 18 starting caliber players in Round 2 in the last 21 drafts.

Should the Packers Trade for Colts Quarterback Anthony Richardson?

The Green Bay Packers need a quarterback to back up Jordan Love now that Malik Willis signed a free agent deal with the Dolphins. The Indianapolis Colts and former first-round pick Anthony Richardson have agreed to try to find the former University of Florida star a new home. But does it make sense for the Packers to trade for Richardson before the start of training camp?

Many observers see parallels between Malik Willis and Richardson. Like Willis, Richardson has a strong arm and excellent athletic ability. Both are mobile quarterbacks who can buy time in the pocket or gain yards using their legs if plays break down. Richardson, like Willis, was also thrust into the NFL as a raw, unfinished product and needs to refine his game to become successful and salvage his pro career.

Richardson has one season left on his rookie contract. His base salary would not be prohibitive for the Packers. Could he benefit from a season under LaFleur? Absolutely. He could improve his mechanics, become a more accurate quarterback, and restore his confidence. Would he be a potential upgrade over Desmond Ridder? He certainly would have a higher ceiling than Ridder does.

The Packers should offer the Colts the same deal they offered the Titans for Willis. Give Indy a seventh-round pick and see if they bite. If they don’t, the Packers could wait to see if the Colts release Richardson outright if they can’t trade him. Working with LaFleur and Love and getting a chance to play for a contending team would certainly be enticements for Richardson to sign with the Packers if he is ultimately released.

The addition of Richardson could be a win-win for player and team. But there is no need to overpay to get Richardson, especially since he has only one year left on his contract (Willis had two). We’ll see if Gutekunst is able to work out a deal, or if he can find a better backup elsewhere.

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Hopefully the Packers can keep working on it

The MarShawn Lloyd Problem

The NFL has always been a league that moves on quickly, but nowhere is that reality more visible than at running back. The arrival of MarShawn Lloyd to the Green Bay Packers is less about one rookie’s potential and more about what he represents: the continuation of a quiet but undeniable shift toward the disposable running back.

Drafted in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft with clear explosiveness, Lloyd entered the league with opportunity in front of him—and a clock already ticking. That clock has only sped up. A preseason hamstring pull in 2024 was followed by a partial ankle sprain that September. Then came a groin injury in July 2025, another hamstring issue in August, and a calf injury in December while rehabbing. The result is stark: one career game played, and a growing reminder of how fragile a running back’s window can be. In a league that increasingly values immediate return, availability isn’t just part of the job—it is the job.

Talent matters, but durability matters more, and timing matters most. If he finds a way to stay healthy, he can still carve out a role in a young offense. If not, his story becomes one the league has seen too often — promise overtaken by circumstance, potential replaced by the next name on the depth chart. Lloyd’s career, still in its earliest stages, already illustrates the challenge.

In today’s NFL, the question isn’t just whether a running back is good enough. It’s whether he can be available long enough to matter before the league moves on without him. The question is, how long are the Packers willing to wait?

Is The Draft The Only Path To Address Nose Tackle?

The most important part of NFL free agency has come and gone. The first week-plus is when the biggest names get scooped up and the largest contracts are signed. In the following weeks, each passing day might have a nibble of news, but for the most part teams are getting ready for the draft.

The Packers have addressed some of their biggest roster needs already. First, they traded for Zaire Franklin to be the replacement for Quay Walker in the middle of Jonathan Gannon’s defense (and created another need in its place, more on that later).

Their next move was bringing in some competition for incumbent outside corners Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine when they signed special teams ace and cornerback Benjamin St-Juste, who thrived in a part-time corner role for the Los Angeles Chargers last season. Finally, they acted quickly to reunite Javon Hargrave with his former defensive coordinator Gannon to help anchor and provide the interior of the defensive line with some pass rush. The hope is that playing again for Gannon will help bring out the best of what Hargrave has left in his 33-year-old body.

But with most quality free agents plucked off the market at this point, is the draft the best avenue for the Packers to acquire a true starting nose tackle? It’s arguably the biggest need left for Brian Gutekunst to address.

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