Confessions of a Polluted Mindset - Doing More With Less
The Weekly Packers Brain Drain from Jersey Al.
By JerseyAl
The draft is over. Hallelujah. I say that because the whole process has become a bit overwhelming. The enormous amount of attention paid to it, the commercialization of every aspect of the event itself and the overabundance of content produced for it from a multitude of different sources - it's all become a bit much. Double or triple that for myself, as editor of the draft guide. It's a lot, from putting the team together, to planning, to enforcing deadlines, reading/editing through every word of the guide (several times), inputting measurables and combine results, watching offensive tackle film and then writing my OT rankings contribution. This was the first year that I really felt it.
I spent three days in front of my computer consuming draft content, watching the draft on TV, checking social media on my phone, etc. My head was so full of draft content that after tracking down the UDFA signings, I had to literally take a break for a couple of days. Hysterically, that caused me to think Tuesday was Monday and miss our weekly Tuesday CHTV partners meeting. Or, that could just be a symptom of my fast-appraching milestone birthday, but I refuse to concede that!
Don't get me wrong, when next draft season comes along I'll gladly jump right back into the pool and do it all over again. I guess I'm just wishing for simpler times - another sympton of my fast-appraching milestone birthday!
Anyway, I've consumed practically no post-draft analysis, instead choosing to turn that all off for a couple of days to let my brain return to some semblence of polluted normalcy. I guess that's a positive thing in a way - I can give you my own unvarnished thoughts. So let's get to it.
THE DRAFT: You could have asked me before the draft to come up with some plausable scenerios for this draft, and none of them would have involved giving up picks to trade up twice, one of which was to draft a kicker. That would not have been on any of my bingo cards. And yet, I'm not mad about it. In fact, I'm thrilled with how it worked out. Some of it was luck, perhaps, but despite having less to work with, Brian Gutekunst arguably got as much done in this draft as he has in any of his previous drafts.
While I say this before seeing any of these players take a step on the field for the Green Bay Packers, the value that was captured in this draft at every major position of need was remarkable. The first three players the Packers selected, all likley had second round grades on their board.
I love the Brandon Cisse pick and I hate it. Love it because beyond his skills and athletic ability, he's only 20, and he's all about football. The ceiling is high for Cisse. I hate it because I had him slotted as my pick in my mock draft here, only to change it up at the last minute and lose those bragging rights. Third time I've done that. You would think I would have learned to stick with my first instinct.
Chris McLellan didn't really meet my want for a true nose tackle type, or at least a primarily run-stopping 3-tech (like Christen Miller), but this isn't about what I want, is it? What Gutey wants ABOVE ALL ELSE, is the "v-word," VERSATILITY. He got it in spades with McLellan.
Dani Dennis-Sutton (DDS - "The Dentist") was a favorite of Packers draft content producers and one of the winners of my "Best in Shorts" combine awards. I'm usually leery of those types, but to get a second-rounder by pretty much everyone's estimation at pick 120, well by golly, I'm just going to have to like it, aren't I?
Jager Burton (pronounced like Mick) has Packers fans in a tizzy, quite an accomplishment for a fifth round offensive lineman. He's already been crowned the future starter at center, and I just want to say to everyone, slow down. I do, however, like the kid, his size, makeup and he's another guy that is just all about football. Besides, how could you not like an offensive lineman nicknamed "Moose?"
Domani Jackson was one of my favorite "roll the dice" players. A former 5-star recruit and top athlete that never reached the heights predicted of him. Sometimes it just takes the right situation to unlock the potential inside a player. Maybe Green Bay is the place.
There I was, impatiently waiting for the seventh round to start so the draft would soon be over and I could move on to my final task, tracking down the UDFAs the Packers sign. When much to my wandering eyes would appear, not Santa Claus, but even better - the Packers were on the clock. They had traded up for the final pick of the 6th round. I was thrilled because surely this just had to be to draft Dallen Bentley, the in-line tight end of my dreams. Surely, the Packers were going to fill another need, that of a backup tight end that could actually block. The pick was in and the name that popped up on the screen 'smacked" me in the face. They had drafted a kicker named Trey Smack. I quickly consulted the CHTV Draft Guide and found him as the #1 kicker in our rankings, so I smiled a wry smile and muttered to myself, "you old dog, Gutey. You got us good."
And so the draft ended a round early, after having started a round late for us Packers fans. Five rounds of picking, six selections, needs fulfilled. It was a good couple of days.
Let's do it again next year!
Go Pack Go!
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"Jersey Al" Bracco is the Editor-In-Chief, part owner and wearer of various hats for CheeseheadTV.com and PackersTalk.com. He's a lifetime Packers fan living in the land of the Giants (and Jets). Follow Al on twitter at @JerseyalGBP.
__________________________
Comments (58)
Savage57
April 29, 2026 at 06:17 am
Thanks for the coverage, Al. Enjoy it while you can.
Soon the Dark Lord, Algor, and his AI minions will have rendered prognostication just another needless human folly.
And the whole damn draft, for that matter.
PeteK
April 29, 2026 at 09:10 am
For the most part, but with the human element involved in sports, AI will never be able to predict a Brady, Shannon Sharpe, Warner, or Driver.
Savage57
April 29, 2026 at 05:20 pm
"Never" is a word you should probably avoid in the context of AI capabilities over time.
A lot of Luddites are going to get the beejesus shocked out of them in the next decade.
TKWorldWide
April 29, 2026 at 06:26 am
Thanks for all you do, Al.
As to your “milestone birthday”, don’t let it get to you. 40 is not all that bad!
PackEyedOptimist
April 29, 2026 at 06:47 am
I'll be turning 70 in November, so I get it.
I had the exact same reaction when they traded up! Yes! They're picking Bentley!
LambeauPlain
April 29, 2026 at 07:25 am
You are just a kid PEO...I just celebrated the 30th anniversary of my 40th birthday on Easter Sunday.
I was not excited about it. My family apparently was as they had many "plans" in store for me. It was very fun, but now, it is just another trip around the sun.
Cheezehead72
April 29, 2026 at 06:48 am
Happy Birthday Al. Over all I liked the draft. It was a solid draft that filled holes. Now I am sure that you will disagree with me on a couple points.
Cisse was the best pick we could have made at 52. I like him and he will grow into the position.
I believe McLellan was a reach. All I can say is that Gute and his team who get paid to make these decisions liked him more than the others left on the board. I just hope we have enough to stop the run.
Dennis-Sutton is a good pick. I see a lot of LVN in him. He is not a fast rusher but he can tackle.
As for Burton I believe he was also a reach. It was a position where we needed depth and he is a true center but I have reservations about any DL or OL that does not preform the bench press at the combine. To me that is one of the most important test for linemen. Once again I will put my faith in Gute and his team.
The rest were right on schedule and good picks. I do like this kicker but we all know that it is a position the guy will have to prove himself. It was a need.
stockholder
April 29, 2026 at 07:13 am
McClellan wasn't a reach.
You want to believe in simulators.
Use Draft Tek big board from now on.
LambeauPlain
April 29, 2026 at 07:45 am
Agree.
Big Mac continued to improve his production every year because he is wise behind his years. He truly embraces "sharpening the saw" as an entrenched habit of successful people.
He is very self aware...but also asks his coaches to identify his strengths and weaknesses and help him work to maximize the first, minimize the second. Very coachable and team first.
dobber
April 29, 2026 at 08:07 am
I remind people that a healthy Packers defense rotating three 305 lb and under DTs was one of the best run defenses in the league until Wyatt got hurt, and then Parsons. Stackhouse's snaps were up and down during that stretch, but he's still there. They've replaced their other undersized NT (Wooden) with Hargrave and McClellan, and return their rag-tag group of other DTs (Brooks, Brinson, Stackhouse, etc.). This unit did get better.
Wyatt was knocked for his run D, but without him, they struggled (because they had to give a lot more base snaps to Brooks?). I'm not saying that there are no worries here, but I'm less worried about not securing a first-down tree stump than others, and feel that McClellan was drafted less to be a plugger and more to fill the void left by Kenny Clark who played up and down the line and who I think McClellan looks a lot like.
LambeauPlain
April 29, 2026 at 08:33 am
Seems Wooden's play dropped off significantly after Wyatt had to drop out of the season.
Coldworld
April 29, 2026 at 09:15 am
Teams figured us out and started pounding the be middle. Our bluff was called. Detroit, with Montgomery, could have opened the Floodgates at the outset, but, like most of the earlier opponents, they went with speed and primarily tried to win outside.
Outside the tackles we did very well all season. We just saw less and less because teams knew they could win through the middle and increasingly the more they attempted it. Losing Wyatt didn’t help, but the problem was much broader and fundamental.
PeteK
April 29, 2026 at 09:16 am
Ford might also chip in.
Coldworld
April 29, 2026 at 10:37 am
If Ford could consistently bend and retain leverage, he has the ability to disrupt. Unfortunately, the vast majority of the time he allows opponents to get under him and gets washed out. Can he change? Yes, but after this long the chances are heavily against it.
Coldworld
April 29, 2026 at 09:08 am
McClellan wasn’t a reach particularly, he’s just, as Al says, not what most here wanted and still seem to think. He’d be a great piece to add if we had a penetrative NT who could be the primary run redoubt. If he can’t hold up through a season on mixed downs then we will be like late last season and the versatility will be largely negated. He may be a good Hargrave replacement next year, if we do find that true early down NT.
stockholder
April 29, 2026 at 09:48 am
Orange vs McClellan. Got it.
But I'll take the guy they can move around.
dobber
April 29, 2026 at 07:27 am
"As for Burton I believe he was also a reach....I have reservations about any DL or OL that does not preform the bench press at the combine. "
Did a quick search that gave 3-4 sites reporting he benched 28 times. It appears to have been at his pro day...and while pro day times are often disputed, it's hard to dispute bench.
"I do like this kicker but we all know that it is a position the guy will have to prove himself. "
He will need to be outright bad to not win the job.
RobinsonDavis
April 29, 2026 at 06:35 pm
Regarding Burton: Dobber is correct...28 on the bench!
Athletically, Burton ranked as our #2 Center of 24 "Packer-ish" types in this year's draft. He was NO REACH! He ran a sub-5 40 (second best), a 4.52 shuttle (second best), and had the 3rd best explosion numbers (broad & vertical jumps). carrying 314 pounds on a frame that can (and should) have weight added to it.
He started 15 games at center, including all 12 this past year and has played guard as well. He pulled from the center position to cover sweeps, was agile and effective. Many college centers cannot pull well AND THUS, it isn't even attempted in some college programs. About 5 of the players we looked at were tackles or guards that played little center lately, but were discussed as potential candidates including Bill's and some fans' favorite, Brian Parker. Some felt Parker would best fit at center due to his arm length (the same as Jordan Morgan's). I like Parker, but don't believe Cincy drafted him to be a center and will give him a try at tackle. But for comparison at the center position, Parker played ZERO games at center and ran a 4.8 shuttle (boarder-line poor; Dylan Barrett ran a 4.73 shuttle, if interested). Shuttle is a measure of lateral quickness and body control, traits required for zone blocking schemes. Burton needs to clean-up technique issues which most college players do, however his pass blocking appears solid. We will "wait and see" like we have to for ALL these young players, but I love this pick! WELCOME TO THE PACKER FAMILY, JAGER!!
Vachio
April 29, 2026 at 01:55 pm
"I have reservations about any DL or OL that does not preform the bench press at the combine."
Just...why? Bench is about the most meaningless predictor of football performance in existence. I've done 30+ reps at 225 on many occasions and there is no point in my history where I would have done anything other than get my ass handed to me as an OL or DL.
Pizzadoc
April 29, 2026 at 04:42 pm
Is anyone else thinking "Wow, how big is Vachio?"
GregC
April 29, 2026 at 06:53 am
Dallen Bentley was the #5 TE in the CHTV Draft Guide, but he was the 22nd and last TE drafted, and the second-to-last player selected overall at #256. That's quite a discrepancy. He does look like the kind of player the Packers need, though. Blocking TE seems like a glaring need for this team. But then I think, who's going to win or lose you more games, a kicker or a blocking TE? Probably the kicker.
Cheezehead72
April 29, 2026 at 07:10 am
Greg I am with you I wanted them to draft a blocking TE but it appears they found one in Eni Falayi as an UDFA. They say he can be a split TE, in-line TE, and an H Back. I would like to see him add a little weight. Gute made the right choice.
PeteK
April 29, 2026 at 09:28 am
Yes, might be another of ourUFAs to make the team, He's a good blocker and caught 22 for 228 & 2 TDs.
Coldworld
April 29, 2026 at 09:51 am
Falayi is interesting. He was almost an every down player. Unfortunately, the only highlights I can find are exclusively of his receiving. He is not untalented in that regard, but the “protection” role often cited as his calling card is intriguing if only words At this point, as is his in in-line and lead experience. I will be watching him in camp with interest. He’s certainly more of an athlete than the bigger blocking option held over, Swinson.
The other TE, Maryland is barely even an F type TE. He’s a WR at 236 pounds. In that role, I have to say his athleticism is impressive on film. Could he be a Heath type receiving option, but with more versatility? He will be fun to follow for very different reasons.
I like this UDFA group much more in the longer term than the draft outside of CB (I take no view on the kicker at this point). We might just snag a couple of steals and refill our pipeline on the PS. It’s not out of the question that one might even earn a roster spot this year.
In addition to the TEs (and Sturdivant), i think Dillon Wade may be a surprisingly good pick up on the IOL. In fact, of the two, I think he could be a better C prospect than Jager by next year with his athleticism and naturally low center of gravity.
Nyjalik Kelly, OLB is also interesting because his film shows a lot better swivel and bend than his testing suggests. Add that to his long arms and he could be more than he seemed after a down year last year and useful a pipeline development acquisition.
golfpacker61
April 29, 2026 at 04:13 pm
I think I also read that not only was he a great blocker, but he also did not drop any passes last year. I and many Packers fans will watch him the next couple years to see if he needs to be added to the list of players we should & could have drafted but didn't.
stockholder
April 29, 2026 at 06:55 am
Doing more with less-
The deep, rational thinking " philosophy,"
changed this draft
Public Consensus's prevailed.
The Draft and develop comforting fantasy,
was a delusion this draft.
And Gute Awaken to realities.
"Facing the Truth, and ending the
emotional conflict of reaching."
Being straight forward; he reestablished
the connection with the fan base.
golfpacker61
April 30, 2026 at 10:29 am
I don't think Gutey went into this draft with the idea of going from 8 picks to 2. I guess he thought someone might steal McClellan from under us, I don't share that idea.
He also made the decision to trade up for the kicker, thinking no one from their board of needs would be available late in the 7th round. Turns out he was wrong because the TE we needed, Bentley, was available to the end of the draft. If the kicker works out, and I hope he is a Packer for 10 years, Gutey will look like a genius.
I said in another article somebody recommended we bring back the grizzled veteran Mercedes Lewis. We have to do better than that, putting Lewis out there is no different than using Kinnard. Neither is any threat to catch a pass.
LambeauPlain
April 29, 2026 at 07:33 am
Happy Birthday, Al! May you enjoy many prosperous, happy, healthy and safe trips around the sun.
As usual, you captured the essence of a topic simply and to the point:
"...the value that was captured in this draft at every major position of need was remarkable."
Spot on. That's how it began to unfold on Friday and continued to Saturday's conclusion including signing some of the top UFDA's available.
Quality over quantity in this Packer draft...and incredibly efficient. Will it also be effective? We will know in two years or so...but I have a strong feeling all 6 of these prospects will be chipping in this season.
Razer
April 29, 2026 at 07:44 am
My trust in Gutekunst has lessen over the years but I must say that he did a lot with less in this draft. Despite his tendency to fall in love with players and reach unnecessarily, he got a lot of what we needed. He'll need to augment the roster with some veterans to fill some gaps and hopefully thin out the guys on the practice squad that are not advancing. Overall we will be competitive.
HawkPacker
April 29, 2026 at 07:55 am
Happy birthday Al. 39 is a great age. In fact Jack Benny was 39 for years.
As I mentioned in another article here on ChTV, I think this is one of Gute's best drafts if not his best. I am pretty much happy with every selection. Don't a lot about some of them but from what I have read since the draft, they all appear to be winners and address most of our areas of need.
LambeauPlain
April 29, 2026 at 08:39 am
I am with you, Hawk. Have studied and watched many Packer drafts and this is the first one during Gutey's tenure when the post analysis left me feeling very satisfied. (I know, cue Michael Scott: "that's what she said!")
Starrbrite
April 30, 2026 at 03:07 am
Dittos
Since'61
April 29, 2026 at 09:19 am
Al don't sweat your upcoming milestone. I've been there and it's the new 50 as they say. I wish you many, many, many more. Enjoy it.
As for the draft I think that Gute did a very solid job. Given Parsons injury I think that we will see more of Sutton earlier than usual for a rookie. I'm hoping that Cisse can beat Valentine outright and become one of the Packers starting CBs. Gute made a smart move trading for Smack at the end of the 6th round. He may have been gone by the time the Packers picked in the 7th. The Packers need a kicker who can hit on those long distance FGs which are becoming increasingly common in the NFL.
I agree that the NFL draft is becoming more and more like a circus consistent with everything the NFL does. I often wonder what Vince Lombardi would think of the league, the draft and the Super Bowl as they are now presented by the NFL and covered by the media.
As always your excellent, hard work on the draft guide is very much appreciated. Thanks, Since '61
GregC
April 29, 2026 at 11:38 am
I think the pre-draft coverage is really interesting (you can ignore it if you're not interested) and the draft itself was fun to watch. I don't see why Vince Lombardi would have a problem with any of it.
I agree that Gute did a solid job this year.
crayzpackfan
April 29, 2026 at 01:09 pm
As long as Vince didn't watch ESPN for his draft consumption. Outlandish amount of commercial breaks and them being a couple picks behind often enough to become an issue, meaning the apps on my phone telling what the pick was 8 minutes before a live broadcast does is annoying. I switched to a different platform.
Since'61
April 29, 2026 at 03:56 pm
Greg C I appreciate your feedback. I stopped watching the pre-draft coverage years, actually decades ago. The alleged pundits are often wrong and extremely boring to me. Even worse they are often screaming at each other or the audience.
I haven't followed college football since the early 80s so all of the players are just names to me until the Packers make their selections. Then I use the CHTV draft guide to learn something about each pick and I watch a video or two of their highlights. Then I read the comments here on CHTV about the drafts and I learn plenty from our fellow posters like yourself. That is my extent of involvement with the draft.
I fully realize that I'm in the minority in terms of not being a draftnik but for those like yourself who enjoy it I say go for it and make the most of it.
As Al correctly points out there is an overwhelming amount of data out there to try to absorb. The problem with it all is that there is plenty of data but not much actual information. For the media it's all about the ratings. Thanks, Since '61
GregC
April 29, 2026 at 04:13 pm
Thanks for your reply 61. The amount of material out there certainly is overwhelming and even ridiculous in some ways. There are ways to filter it, though, for example by focusing on scouting reports that provide solid information such as physical dimensions and college stats for the players, along with objective analysis of their abilities and how they may or may not translate to the NFL. A site that I look at a lot is NFL Draft Buzz. But I don't go into it nearly as deep as some people here do. To each his own!
golfpacker61
April 29, 2026 at 04:21 pm
I like NFL Daft Buzz the best too, Greg. They give alot of important info on each player. What I find crazy is how 1 draft site will rank a player top 10 and another will see him as the 23rd best player at his position. I love the draft and the predraft stuff almost more than the season at this point. To sit and watch an entire game is almost as boring as baseball.
TXCHEESE
April 29, 2026 at 09:40 am
Is there a more apt name for a stud kicker than Trey Smack? Especially with an III at the end. I think not!
LambeauPlain
April 29, 2026 at 10:58 am
About as good as a nose tackle named Stackhouse.
PeteK
April 29, 2026 at 09:45 am
Last years draft produced 2 starters and 4 more players contributed. If we can come close to that this year , it will be a success. An avg kicker could have won us a playoff game and then you never know.
LeotisHarris
April 29, 2026 at 10:47 am
The Athletic reported that ESPN has hinted that Yahoo Sports has given DAN BUGLAR a C+ grade for his post-draft analysis.
Outstanding CHTV guide again this year, Al. Thanks.
Coldworld
April 29, 2026 at 03:45 pm
Dan, Dan, the funny wee man,
Washed his face with a frying pan.
He combed his hair with the leg of a chair,
Dan, Dan, the funny wee man.
Boneman
April 29, 2026 at 11:00 am
I'm a little worried that I can't find anything to criticize??! Gute filled our most pressing needs, picked players where he should and improved the roster without much projection. Cisse should be a starter soon and don't sleep on Jackson by next year. McClellen will be part of the rotation and DDS could be a steal. I'm gob Smacked over the kicker for crying out loud! Very nice job, indeed. He traded up while still protecting next years haul too. Smart. Happy B-Day Al!
Oxymoron 3339
April 29, 2026 at 11:01 am
Hard to tell how good this draft will be. If you base it off Gute’s other 8 drafts hopefully it’s more like 2022 than 2021. Gute has not been a great drafter.
Moving up and using Two draft picks to pick a Kicker who we probably could have gotten in round 7 made no sense to me, but neither did drafting a Long Snapper, Kicker and Punter previously especially when none panned out.
We have had some success in round 7 (Walker, Valentines, Driver, Tauscher etc…) why give away picks when we need so much.
greengold
April 29, 2026 at 01:11 pm
Rest easy, Al, and GREAT WORK! Happy Birthday to you!
I had DDS at 52, and Domani Jackson at 201. Thrilled with all 6 players drafted last week.
Man, I hadn’t studied Brandon Cisse at all. Didn’t take a single note. Didn’t think we had a chance of taking him. For anyone who might be wondering about Brandon, Richard Sherman Podcast had Cisse as his guest, and it was a TOP SHELF TREAT for any Packer fan.
McClellan was a top choice for me, and if we were only to get one DT/NT, he was arguably the most productive of any in the stat sheet. That versatility thing? That’s SUPREME ATHLETICISM. When you get a giant of a man who can play NT and 3T, and more, effectively? That = impressive lateral quickness. Wyatt was drafted high for much the same reason. Getting CMac in R3 was some Bonnie & Clyde shizzle.
Couldn’t have been more thrilled with Gutey going to THE DENTIST R4. Ask my neighbors!
*I easily see 3 starters to this point.
MOOOOOOOSE!!!
*Make it 4.
Domain Jackson? Hmmmmmm???!!! I trust that he’s landed in possibly the best place possible with both Gannon as DC, and the pass rush the Packers are about to unload upon the rest of the NFL. I understand he struggled with his eyes/play recognition at USC and Alabama. That’s been the canned version spewed about the man. However, he was also caught up in a huge numbers game, limiting his opportunities. I’m convinced he could win one of the starting positions in GB with the right coaching and use. His speed is undeniable- light a lightening flash to the ball. Can’t wait to see him develop. More highway robbery getting Domani in GB at 201.
*Make it 5.
Smacks? Hell yeah! Seems weird, but I do think this is very possible:
*Make it 6!
***Don’t forget, check out Cisse on the Richard Sherman Podcast. ***
Turophile
April 29, 2026 at 02:02 pm
I had about 25 players I particularly liked and the Packers picked...............none of them.
And yet, despite that, I liked their draft, which is saying something about how well received it was by most fans that are not afflicted by the disease of chronic pessimism.
Here is an interesting exercise for fans that like this stuff, a post draft mock.
Basically, you can refuse a draft-day trade the Packers made but you cannot make any new trades. You pick whoever you want at each Packers pick, but they must still be on the board in the real draft at that pick. Who did you end up with - and do you think your choices were better than Gute's ?
PS At 74 (which I am) 60 is almost a whippersnapper :-)
PPS We never gave away any 2027 draft picks, and its predicted to be a high quality year, that should be a fun time too. Maybe we get our blocking TE that we missed on this year.
HarryHodag
April 29, 2026 at 02:14 pm
I wanted to judge the Packers draft not in a vacuum, but against the rest of the North Division. At first blush, the Vikings will be better. The Bears made some decent picks as did the Lions.
While the national sports media dopes have crowned the Bears "King of the North" I say put the brakes on dopes.(They all think the Bears QB is the second coming of Tom Brady. They all need a hero to focus on)
Each team in the North filled holes. The Packers lost a sizeable number of players in free agency but seem to have found able bodies to replace them. Never forget that if McManus hadn't screwed up in the playoff game the Packers would have likely won.
As I look at the division today, 3-4 months out from first real football, I say it's a dead heat. All four teams have competent or better quarterbacks. All four have improved their defenses. All four have shorn up holes in their offenses. In all probability the Packers special teams will be better.
The fastest way to the playoffs is winning the division. Today it's a dead heat, regardless of what the 'experts' like to tell you.
EricTorkelson
April 30, 2026 at 06:19 am
Ok Harry, not saying I'm an expert ... but yes the Bears are defending conference champs and have ( finally ) built a decent roster and decent QB, so they are the favorites as far as the other three teams including the Packers it is a toss up...
HarryHodag
April 30, 2026 at 10:13 am
Last year was last year for the Bears. They backed into the title last year(the Lions still have better talent) and each team has improved some.
I will never praise the Bears in any way, shape or form, especially with that creature who is their head coach still acting like he's the second coming of George Halas.
EricTorkelson
April 29, 2026 at 03:57 pm
Yeah JerseyAl , I used to study charts, read analysis, watch videos, Local news stories, etc. etc ... ( and for what? ) you will always get a better Idea of what kind of player any NFL team drafted 2-3 years down the road. Its just a fact... remember the great Ron Wolfs last draft Pick first round number10: Jamal Reynolds ( Bust ) 3 sacks in three years. Ted Thompson 4th round 109th pick David Bakhtiari probably one of the best left tackles in Green Bay other than maybe Forest Gregg... You just never know
Since'61
April 29, 2026 at 07:30 pm
Eric FYI, Forrest Gregg primarily played Right Tackle for the Packers. Bob Skoronski was the left tackle for the Lombardi Packers. Also note that Gregg played Right guard for the Packers in 1965 due to injuries to Jerry Kramer. Gregg was named an All-Pro guard and All-Pro Tackle for the 1965 season. As Coach Lombardi said "forrest Gregg was the best football player I ever coached." Thanks, Since '61
EricTorkelson
April 30, 2026 at 06:12 am
Your right... Thanks
barutanseijin
April 29, 2026 at 05:37 pm
I can’t stand college ball, so the draft means nothing to me other than tedious blather about some names being read off. Thankfully, there’s a bit of a lull after the draft & before the season begins when all draftees are all pros.
But somewhere out there, some draft content generator is working up a ‘27 mock draft. Sigh…
Bitternotsour
April 29, 2026 at 05:45 pm
same, though I have a soft heart for Oregon and I get some pleasure when they win. I also like their coach immensely, the guy could talk a tiger out of his stripes.
RobinsonDavis
April 29, 2026 at 07:14 pm
Well, from reading your piece Al, you described memory loss and impatience, with a healthy dose of "GET OFF MY LAWN" wit. I think you are already there, buddy! :-).....Welcome to the club!!
YES! Let's do it again, next year!
P.S. Roster construction has a long way to gooooooooooo.......
MrFitz66
April 29, 2026 at 10:32 pm
Really enjoy reading your articles. You are a fantastic fan / writer.
For the first time in many years, I paid no attention to the pre draft buildup.
I supported all our GMs over the tears, just like I have supported our team. I like Gutey. I believe in him to get us full value for our picks. I love what he did this year and I'm excited for one or two of these guys to become stars. We need more superstars to win another. We took a positive step with this draft. Excited for the season. Go Pack.
golfpacker61
April 30, 2026 at 10:40 am
Well Jersey AL, let me tell you that turning 50 is one hell of a lot better than turning 70, so you should look at it like that. At 50 you still have a ton of time to accomplish a lot. At 72 you have way different thoughts in your head and are happy just to be on the "right side of the dirt.
That said, McClellan was always my choice for the Packers @ DT, because of his versatility. Later I would take a flyer on Xzavian Harris, even though the Packers were probably out on him. His talent is 2nd roundish, but his head is way off course. I also liked Aaron Graves and Van Den Berg.
In the end McClellan is probably the most Kenny Clark ish of any DTs in the draft, and that's a pretty good bar to set for him.