There was a run on nobody at that position, and the Packers started one anyway for Roger Rosengarten, 42 picks ahead of schedule. They moved the roster forward and banked a B for it.
They won the margins on every swap, and it adds up fast. For all the activity, quarterback went untouched, which is hard to explain.
The Gore Jr. pick is the one they will point to when this weekend is judged.
A competent weekend that does not make headlines and does not need to.
Pick-by-Pick
R1.26
· Pick 26
· Cooper DeJean
· CB
· rank 26
In pick No. 26 they get a lockdown presence outside. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
R1.32
· Pick 32
· Kool-Aid McKinstry
· CB
· rank 23
In Round 1, Pick 32 they get a potential shutdown corner at a price that makes it sweeter. Exactly the need they had to hit.
R2.6
· Pick 38
· Graham Barton
· OT
· rank 25
The board had Graham Barton higher than slot 38, and the offensive lineman fell to them anyway. The roster fit checks out.
R2.29
· Pick 61
· Payton Wilson
· LB
· rank 57
Nothing to complain about; Payton Wilson went a shade earlier than his grade, which is fine. Not urgent, but hardly pointless.
R3.28
· Pick 91
· Max Melton
· CB
· rank 76
Max Melton at No. 91 is money in the bank, a cornerback taken below his worth. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
R3.30
· Pick 93
· Roger Rosengarten
· OT
· rank 135
Roger Rosengarten at the 93rd pick is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. It fills a real need, too.
R5.29
· Pick 165
· Myles Cole
· DE-EDGE
· rank 197
They reached a country mile for Myles Cole at pick 165, and the board is aghast. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
R6.44
· Pick 219
· Julian Pearl
· OT
· rank 204
They stopped a slide they were happy to see, landing Julian Pearl in slot 219. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
R7.25
· Pick 245
· Frank Gore Jr.
· RB
· rank 226
Somehow Frank Gore Jr. was still sitting there in the 245th overall pick, and they pounced on premier running back value. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
R7.30
· Pick 250
· Ryan Watts
· CB
· rank 261
Ryan Watts at No. 250 is a clear overpay, with better names still on the board. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
R7.35
· Pick 255
· Tyrice Knight
· LB
· rank 256
No drama and no debate, Tyrice Knight went about where he belonged in the Round 7 slot. Pure best-available; the position was not exactly begging.