GREEN BAY, Wis. — Green Bay’s season ended in absolute heartbreak. A 31-27 Wild Card loss to the Chicago Bears left Lambeau Field completely stunned. The bitter lake-effect wind didn’t sting nearly as much as watching a late fourth-quarter lead evaporate. Now, the page turns. Welcome to our official Green Bay Packers 2026 NFL Draft preview.
General Manager Brian Gutekunst faces a brutal April reality. The Packers shipped their 2026 first-round pick to the Dallas Cowboys last August to acquire superstar edge rusher Micah Parsons. Parsons dominated before a devastating Week 15 knee injury derailed his season. Free agency completely scrambled the roster. Green Bay signed defensive tackle Javon Hargrave and cornerback Benjamin St-Juste but traded away Rashan Gary. New defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon is shifting this unit to a 3-4 scheme. The front seven needs serious muscle.
The Day 2 Hit List: Brute Force and Boundary Corners
Green Bay sits out Thursday night. Gutekunst finally goes on the clock Friday at Pick No. 52. The trenches demand immediate attention. Devonte Wyatt needs a heavy-handed partner inside, especially after Colby Wooden departed for Indianapolis.
Keep a close eye on Iowa State’s Domonique Orange. “Big Citrus” tips the scales at 325 pounds. He resets the line of scrimmage with raw power. Gannon needs a true nose tackle to anchor his odd front, and Orange fits the exact physical profile. If Gutekunst ignores the defensive line early, expect a run on cornerbacks. St-Juste signed a modest two-year deal. Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine hit free agency next spring. Ohio State’s Davison Igbinosun brings the length and aggressive press-man ability Green Bay loves on the perimeter.
“We have all the flexibility to do what we need to do. We aren’t panicking just because we don’t pick on Day 1. The board will fall our way.”— Brian Gutekunst, Packers General Manager
Playoff Implications / What’s Next
The margin for error in the NFC North is practically zero. Chicago just proved they can win in the cold, and Detroit never stops reloading. For Green Bay, the 2026 draft isn’t about finding an instant Hall of Famer. It is about securing three reliable rotational pieces who can keep the defense lethal while Parsons rehabilitates his knee.
Gutekunst holds seven total picks. He must hit on his mid-round selections. Expect the Packers to target offensive line depth by Round 4—perhaps Texas A&M center Trey Zuhn III—to protect Jordan Love. If Green Bay nails these Day 2 and Day 3 picks, they lock down a deep roster capable of surviving the brutal winter months. If they miss, that Wild Card loss to Chicago might just be the start of a very cold trend.
