3 Packers Veterans Fighting for Their Jobs After 2022 NFL Draft

The Green Bay Packers made the most out of their 11 picks in the 2022 NFL Draft and added depth at a number of different positions. The front office gave quarterback Aaron Rodgers new weapons with three wide receiver selections and replaced Za'Darius Smith with a talented young linebacker.

What makes the Packers' decisions so interesting is the fact that some established players are now going to be pushed during training camp to secure their starting spot. It'll be interesting to see if they can hold off the newcomers, so let's take a look at three Green Bay veterans fighting for their job.

Green Bay Packers Depth Chart

1. Sammy Watkins, WR

Yes, the Packers signed Sammy Watkins to a one-year deal in free agency in a move to provide Rodgers with a veteran option. However, Green Bay used a second-round pick on Christian Watson before taking a flyer on Romeo Doubs in the fourth round. Watson's athleticism gives him a ton of upside in the NFL and Doubs comes with experience in returning kicks. It could leave Watkins as the odd man out considering veteran Randall Cobb's existing relationship with Rodgers. It doesn't help that Watkins has accumulated only 815 yards and 3 touchdowns over the last two seasons as well. He's in danger of seeing a lot of time on the sidelines.

2. Elgton Jenkins, OT

Another position the Packers made sure not to overlook was along the offensive line. Green Bay added three players at the position including Sean Rhyan in the third round, Zach Tom in the fourth round and Rasheed Walker in the seventh round. General manager Brian Gutekunst has already mentioned each rookie on the OL will likely get a chance to compete at right tackle. That spot is currently taken by veteran Elgton Jenkins. Jenkins earned a Pro Bowl nod back in 2020, but only saw eight games of action in 2021 due to a torn ACL. The fact the he is also on the final year of his contract may guide the Packers into lessening his role.

3. Jarran Reed, DE

This one is much more of a stretch than the other two given Jarran Reed has appeared in every game of the last two seasons and logged 9.0 sacks during that span. It's important to keep in mind that Green Bay doesn't use a first-round pick on a defensive lineman for no reason, though. Georgia's Devonte Wyatt was a force to be reckoned with during his college career. The 24-year-old totaled 27 quarterback pressures to go along with 7.0 tackles for loss in 14 games played this past fall. A strong training camp performance from him could force Green Bay into making a very tough decision.

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.