The Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions have unexpectedly emerged as the NFC North’s dominant teams. It’s been two years since the Packers won the division, but their surge at the end of the 2023 season has put the league on notice.
The Lions are well aware that the Packers are on the upswing, yet they made a trade despite that.
The Detroit Lions make a splashy trade in spite of the Green Bay Packers.
According to Adam Wells from Bleacher Report:
The Detroit Lions traded up in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft to choose Terrion Arnold, citing concerns that an NFC North opponent might take the Alabama cornerback.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Green Bay Packers were reported to have Arnold rated “highly” on their board as their first-round pick approached.
One AFC scout who spoke with Fowler lauded Arnold’s contributions to the Lions’ secondary, saying, “As far as talent, speed, coverage, ball production, tackling, size, ability to play inside and outside—I had him as the best corner.”
The Lions ended up trading with the Dallas Cowboys for the No. 24 pick, putting them one position ahead of the Packers, who chose Arnold.
Cornerback was not the Packers’ most pressing need entering this draft, but they appeared to be planning to address the position at some time. Jaire Alexander, Eric Stokes, and Carrington Valentine form a volatile cornerback combination, but there is plenty of possibility if they all reach their full potential in 2024.
With Arnold off the board at No. 25, the Packers chose Arizona’s Jordan Morgan to fill what was perhaps their most pressing need at offensive tackle.
The Packers went the “smart” route in the 2024 NFL draft.
The Green Bay Packers made a smart move by selecting offensive tackle Jordan Morgan with the 25th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He started at left tackle for Arizona. After replacing David Bakhtiari, finding a potential left tackle was critical.
Rasheed Walker is now listed first on the depth chart following his start at left tackle for the Packers last season. It remains to be seen whether he will be the starter in Week 1.
It will be intriguing to watch how soon Jordan Morgan establishes himself as a long-term option in this offense.
