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Looking ahead at the upcoming 2020 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers are going to be an interesting team to keep an eye on. Currently, the Packers hold the No. 30 overall pick, but general manager Brian Gutekunst has made trades in the first round over each of the last two years. It should not be counted out that Green Bay could look to move up or down once again this year.
However, if the Packers do stand pat and take a prospect with their current selection, there are quite a few directions the team could choose to go.
During the 2019 season, Green Bay was one of the top teams in the NFL. They may not have won in dominant fashion, but they won nonetheless, finishing the regular season with a 13-3 record and making it all the way to the NFC Championship Game.
Aaron Rodgers and Matt LaFleur started off shaky in their new partnership, but there were promising signs of improvement throughout the season. It was obvious that they enjoyed working together and testing each others minds. That bodes well for the future of the Packers' offense.
Moving back to the No. 30 overall pick, the Packers will have to decide what side of the football they want to focus on. Gutekunst made defense the priority last offseason, spending big money to sign Preston Smith, Za'Darius Smith and Adrian Amos. He also drafted both Rashan Gary and Darnell Savage Jr.
This time around, the Packers need to focus on beefing up the offense around Rodgers. Time is ticking and Rodgers isn't getting any younger. At 36 years old, Green Bay cannot afford to waste any time.
Green Bay was expected to target a big-time free agent wide receiver or tight end. However, Devin Funchess was the only player that was signed at either of those positions. Looking at their first-round pick, there is one player that makes perfect sense for the Packers.
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Tee Higgins, a star wide receiver from Clemson, should be the priority for the Packers. He would be exactly the kind of No. 2 option that Green Bay needs across from Davante Adams. Rounding out the wide receiver depth chart with Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Allen Lazard and Funchess would be a huge upgrade.
Last season with the Tigers, Higgins caught 59 passes for 1,167 yards and 13 touchdowns. He averaged 19.8 yards per reception and showed off his ability to make big plays down the field, in the open field, and as a possession wideout. That kind of skill-set is exactly what the Packers' offense was missing in 2019.
Adams is one of the best wide receivers in the entire NFL. Very few will try to argue against that statement. But, the Packers need to stop relying on him to be able to shoulder 80 percent of his workload through the air.
Pairing Adams and Higgins would give Rodgers two legitimate star targets. NFL.com has been comparing Higgins to Cincinnati Bengals' wideout A.J. Green. That comparison shows how much upside and potential that Higgins would bring to Green Bay.
Other players that the Packers could target at No. 30 are Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray, Houston offensive lineman Josh Jones, Arizona State wide receiver Brandin Aiyuk, Baylor wide receiver Denzel Mims and TCU wide receiver Jalen Reagor. All of these players make sense and would be good fits, but none of them would have the immediate and long-term impact that Higgins would.
If the Packers are looking to contend now and they want to bring in an elite weapon for Rodgers, Higgins should be the pick. Green Bay shouldn't overthink this one. Take Higgins and move forward with a much improved offense.
