The Green Bay Packers did not make a pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Unless there is a major trade down the road, they will not make a pick in the first round next year either. Of course, this is because they traded both of their first round picks in 2026 and 2027 (and Kenny Clark) to the Dallas Cowboys last year.
In return, they received All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons, who had 12.5 sacks in 14 games for the Packers last year before tearing his ACL.
After the first night of the 2026 NFL Draft was over, general manager Brian Gutekunst debriefed with the media to explain why he chose not to trade up into the opening round.
Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst thinks Micah Parsons is better than any first round pick
Many, including Green Bay’s media, were not sure why Gutekunst wanted to address the media after the first round considering the Packers did not make a pick.
During this press conference, Green Bay’s general manager said that they did not receive any phone calls about trading up into the first round, nor did they make any. He stated that all the players that they expected to be available to them in the second round remain on their board.
Additionally, Gutekunst declared that, despite not picking in the first round, he feels the Packers got better. According to Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated, he said, Yeah, we got better. “With this particular pick, we got better a whole year earlier, you know? So, no, to answer your question. I will say – and this is no different than the other draft – when you sit there, wherever you’re picking, and you’re watching good players come off the board that you put a lot of time scouting, and you appreciate their skill-set, that’s never fun.
“But looking back and doing what we did, certainly, I don’t think there’s any players that were in this draft that can compete with that one.”
Obviously, the Packers believe that Parsons can have a bigger impact on their team this year (and next) than any of the players taken in the first round.
And unless any of these picks end up finishing above Parsons in Defensive Player of the Year voting (he was fifth despite missing three games in 2025), they are right.
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