The Packers clearly saw something nobody else did in Matthew Jones, taking him 25 picks ahead of his grade. The board is not convinced. Solid and sensible more than spectacular: a B.
They covered a lot of ground and still skipped quarterback, which is a strange place to end up. Wilson at that cost is the sort of edge that compounds over a roster. Edge rusher was the priority and it is no longer a question, which is most of the job.
The dealing nudged the ledger their way without much fuss.
All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but quarterback.
Pick-by-Pick
R1.26
· Pick 26
· Terrion Arnold
· CB
· rank 20
In No. 26 they get a potential shutdown corner. Exactly the need they had to hit.
R2.9
· Pick 41
· Kamren Kinchens
· S
· rank 37
They did well to land Kamren Kinchens in pick No. 41, just ahead of his grade. It adds depth where they could use a little.
R2.25
· Pick 57
· T'Vondre Sweat
· DL
· rank 60
They paid sticker price for T'Vondre Sweat in pick 57, and that is fine. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
R3.25
· Pick 88
· Payton Wilson
· LB
· rank 70
You do not let a linebacker like Payton Wilson reach the 88th pick and blink. They did not. It thickens a room that could stand to be thicker.
R3.26
· Pick 89
· Mike Sainristil
· CB
· rank 82
Mike Sainristil at Round 3, Pick 26 is a sound buy, the sort that quietly helps a class. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
R3.28
· Pick 91
· Zak Zinter
· OG
· rank 95
No edge and no loss on Zak Zinter in the Round 3 slot; it is a wash and a sensible one. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
R4.25
· Pick 125
· Darius Robinson
· DL-EDGE
· rank 121
A reasonable price with a little left over, Darius Robinson in pick No. 125. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
R4.35
· Pick 135
· MarShawn Lloyd
· RB
· rank 130
Nothing to complain about; MarShawn Lloyd went a shade earlier than his grade, which is fine. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
R6.28
· Pick 203
· Tanor Bortolini
· C
· rank 215
Tanor Bortolini in No. 203 is the kind of reach that only looks good if he outplays it. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
R6.42
· Pick 217
· Matthew Jones
· OG
· rank 242
They reached a country mile for Matthew Jones at the 217th pick, and the board is aghast. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
R6.44
· Pick 219
· Joshua Cephus
· WR
· rank 239
They left a pile of value on the table to take Joshua Cephus this early at Round 6, Pick 44. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
R7.26
· Pick 246
· Eric Gentry
· LB
· rank 251
By-the-book stuff, Eric Gentry at pick 246 squarely in line with his ranking. Depth on depth, at a spot that was hardly crying out.