GREEN BAY, WI — The Green Bay Packers have a finishing problem that draft status alone won’t fix. After a scorching 5-1-1 start to the 2025 season, the team cratered to a 9-7-1 finish, ultimately falling 31-27 to the Chicago Bears in the Wild Card round. The loss of superstar Micah Parsons to a Week 15 knee injury exposed a roster that lacks the “closer” instinct required for a deep January run.
Trading away Rashan Gary to Dallas and losing Micah Parsons to the trainer’s room left the Green Bay defense toothless when it counted. While the signing of veteran tackle Javon Hargrave adds muscle to the interior, the edge remains a massive question mark. General Manager Brian Gutekunst is now hunting for value in the 2026 NFL Draft to prevent another late-season slide. This isn’t about finding the biggest names; it’s about finding the players who thrive when the clock is ticking down.
The Packers’ offense often stalled in the red zone last year, lacking a back with pure home-run speed. Enter Robert Henry Jr. from UTSA. He didn’t just play in the AAC; he terrorized it. Henry averaged a staggering 6.9 yards per carry in 2025, totaling 1,045 rushing yards despite missing time. His vision in a zone-blocking scheme is instinctive, and his 4.52 speed allows him to erase angles. For Jordan Love, Henry represents more than a backup—he is a release valve who can turn a three-yard checkdown into a 70-yard touchdown.
Replacing Gary’s production is a tall order, but UCF’s Malachi Lawrence is a technician with a relentless motor. Lawrence racked up 7 sacks and 40 pressures in 2025, earning First-Team All-Big 12 honors. He plays with a violent first step that disrupts timing immediately. In the frozen air of Lambeau, that kind of consistent pressure is the only way to protect a secondary that often looks disjointed when the pass rush fades.
Green Bay’s secondary struggled with consistency throughout the 2025 campaign. Toledo’s Avery Smith offers a solution built on fundamentals rather than just raw athleticism. Smith recorded 12 passes defended and 11 pass breakups last season. He stays in phase with receivers and plays with the length needed to contest jump balls in the end zone. He isn’t a flashy “shutdown” corner yet, but he is a reliable tackler who won’t get burned on a double move during a two-minute drill.
“We had them where we wanted them and we let it go. That’s the reality of 2025. This year, we need guys who aren’t just happy to be in the playoffs. We need finishers. I don’t care where they played college ball; I care if they can hold the line in the fourth quarter.”— Jordan Love, Packers Quarterback
The NFC North is no longer a one-team race. With the Bears ascending and the Lions remaining a physical powerhouse, the Packers cannot afford another seventh-seed finish. Identifying these three prospects—Henry, Lawrence, and Smith—signals a shift toward high-floor, high-motor players who address specific situational failures. If Green Bay hits on these “hidden gems,” they aren’t just a playoff team; they are a Super Bowl threat. The draft begins in three weeks, and the front office is clearly prioritizing grit over glamour.
