The Green Bay Packers are continuing its trend of selecting defensive players in the first round – and fans aren’t too happy with it.
On Thursday, the team chose to pick Lukas Van Ness, an edge rusher out of Iowa.
While this could turn out to be a good pick for the Packers, as many experts gave him a first-round grade, some question if this is the best direction the team should have made.
For example, the Packers after trading Aaron Rodgers will now need to develop 2020 first-round pick Jordan Love.
It’s hard to do that when your team isn’t taking priority on offensive playmakers with the top pick.
One frustrated fan tweeted at the Packers: “Is it that fkn hard to finally draft a talented WR at Rs 1??”
In particular, Packers fans wanted Jaxon Smith-Njigba from Ohio State.
Another said: “Jaxon Njigba sitting right there and they do that lol…I know Aaron Rodgers [is] glad he [is] gone.”
The frustration from fans comes as the Packers have not drafted a non-quarterback offensive player in the first round since 2011.
The last time the Packers picked a wide receiver in the first round was in 2002.
Add that to the fact that the Packers lost its top receiving target in 2022, Allen Lazard, to free agency.
Also, the Packers led the team in drops last year with 30.
So the organization has some work to do in the draft this year and improve the surroundings for Love.
But in the past, the Packers have luckily found receiving talent out of the first round in the past.
For example, it drafted Davante Adams in the second round in 2014 and Jordy Nelson in the second round in 2008.
Both turned into number reliable number-one receiving options for the Packers.
But in the second round of the 2023 draft – the Packers did add two offensive weapons for Love. That’s tight end Luke Musgrave and wide receiver Jayden Reed.
So we’ll see how it pans out but it can’t be much worse than last year’s fiasco with the dropped passes.
