Any season in which a team misses the playoff with Aaron Rodgers under center is a disappointment. Last season, it was enough to make the typically cautious Green Bay front office shake things up with the firing of head coach Mike McCarthy and their subsequent hiring of Matt LaFleur.
Now, LaFleur looks to give Rodgers every advantage to succeed, reportedly including making life more difficult for whatever quarterback he's facing.
Tony Pauline, a writer for DraftAnalysis.com, reported that the Packers have interest in Jachai Polite, an edge rusher from Florida that Pauline has ranked as the second best pass rusher in the draft, behind Ohio State standout Nick Bosa, the brother of Joey Bosa of the Los Angeles Chargers.
“Much of this also depends on what the Packers do in free agency. I continue to hear Green Bay will target pass rushers in free agency.”
NFL.com lists Polite at 6-foot-3 and 258 pounds. Despite starting just five of 13 games played in 2018, Polite's ability to make plays in the backfield got him named as a second-team All-American by the Associated Press and a second-team all-conference nod from SEC coaches. Many of the criticisms of him stem from a perceived lack of strength, as well as from some questions about off the field issues.
Green Bay has the 12th pick in this spring's draft. Who falls down the board could depend on how the league evaluates the quarterback class that includes Kyler Murray and Dwayne Haskins. NFL.com's first mock draft by Peter Schrager, Polite wasn't taken until the Seattle Seahawks picked at 21, while the Packers selected LSU linebacker Devin White. White's coach at LSU, Ed Orgeron, has compared him to San Francisco 49ers great Patrick Willis.
Regardless of who the Packers select, many analysts seem to believe that Green Bay is looking to bolster their defense in the draft. Polite would make a lot of sense for the Packers.
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