2019 NFL Mock Draft: Odell Beckham trade throws first round into chaos

The Packers went against the grain in free agency, choosing to spend wildly to improve their roster. Doing that signals to me that Green Bay is trying to build a contender as quick as possible in order to take advantage of their Super Bowl window in the remaining years that Aaron Rodgers has left.

Rodgers is still one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL when healthy, but he’ll turn 36 in December and has dealt with a lot of nagging injuries over the last couple of seasons. A big part of the reason why is because the Packers have been unable to give him a clean pocket. Despite his magician-like movement in the pocket, Green Bay gave up 53 sacks in 2018, a mark that ranked in a tie for third worst in the NFL.

Rodgers can’t hold up to the hits as well as he once could as he continues to age, which makes solidifying his protection a huge priority in this year’s draft. They spent money in free agency to fix a dormant pass rush, and they’ll likely look at addressing their offensive line issues in April.

Kansas State’s Dalton Risner is a perfect fit for what the Packers want up front. He’s versatile enough to play four different positions on the line, and he has a mean streak as he plays with a chip on his shoulder. He’s got excellent hand usage and stymies pass rushers, even the quick twitch speed rushers off the edge with his tremendous footwork. If he can get his hands on you, then it’s game over.

Risner is as experienced as any player in this draft, and while he might not have the long term upside of the top couple linemen in this class, he is more pro ready than any of them, and should jump right in as a contributor as a rookie.