The Green Bay Packers are currently on pace to have the eighth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
With a little bit of luck, they may be able to improve their draft position, although, it might not be as easy as they would have initially thought.
Jackson and Darnell Mooney both out Sunday vs. Green Bay.
Packers gonna really have to step their game up if they want a top-five pick. https://t.co/njIHr8IU7a
—Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) November 29, 2022
The Chicago Bears currently hold the second overall pick in the draft.
With both teams’ seasons likely over in terms of playoff hopes, one might assume that they are now trying to tank to improve their draft position.
The Packers haven’t had a top-ten pick since 2009, as this is quite an unfamiliar territory for them, given recent successes.
The Bears, however, have had three top-ten picks in the last ten seasons.
Bears and Packers Draft History
In recent memory, the Bears have had relatively bad luck with their first-round picks.
With the seventh overall pick in the 2015 draft, the Bears selected wide receiver Kevin White.
White has unfortunately not panned out in the NFL, starting only 30 total games in six seasons.
In the following years, they drafted offensive lineman Leonard Floyd with the eighth overall pick, and quarterback Mitchell Trubisky with the second overall pick, who hasn’t produced the NFL careers that the Bears were expecting.
However, they drafted lineman Roquan Smith in the 2018 NFL Draft, who has put together an impressive career and is regarded as one of the league’s best linemen.
The Packers haven’t had a top-ten pick since 2009, in which they drafted BJ Raji with the ninth overall pick.
Raji turned out to be a key contributor for the Packers.
Who will both teams draft this year?
Will the Packers chalk this season up as a loss and steadily improve their draft stock?
We’ll soon see.
