Green Bay Packers Draft: Edge Rusher Discussion

Based on the timeline of the Micah Parsons injury, it’s likely that he begins on the physically unable to perform list to start the regular season. If he’s on the PUP list, he’ll miss the first four games of the year. He’s a freak athlete. Everything we’ve heard about his recovery so far is positive, but these are still the facts of the matter.

The big question is whether the Packers need to actually invest in a replacement starter for one month of Parsons replacement snaps or not. Remember, they just spent mid-round picks on Barryn Sorrell and Collin Oliver in the last draft class. Adding more bodies to the room will presumably push them further down the depth chart. It’s a tricky situation.

Edge Rusher Consensus Draft Board Rankings

• #2: Arvell Reese, Ohio State
• #3: David Bailey, Texas Tech
• #8: Rueben Bain, Miami
• #20: Keldric Faulk, Auburn
• #21: Akheem Mesidor, Miami
• #27: T.J. Parker, Clemson
• #32: Cashius Howell, Texas A&M
• #37: Zion Young, Missouri
• #43: Malachi Lawrence, UCF
• #47: R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma
• #50: Gabe Jacas, Illinois
• #63: Derrick Moore, Michigan
• #70: Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State
• #75: Romello Height, Texas Tech (pre-draft visitor)
• #85: Joshua Josephs, Tennessee
• #86: Jaishawn Barham, Michigan
• #89: Keyron Crawford, Auburn
• #107: L.T. Overton, Alabama
• #134: Anthony Lucas, USC
• #147: Caden Curry, Ohio State
• #148: Max Llewellyn, Iowa
• #173: Nadame Tucker, Western Michigan
• #188: George Gumbs Jr., Florida
• #189: Wesley Williams, Duke
• #196: Mason Reiger, Wisconsin
• #201: Trey Moore, Texas
• #210: Tyreak Sapp, Florida
• #218: Mikail Kamara, Indiana
• #231: Vincent Anthony Jr., Duke
• #234: Quintayvious Hutchins, Boston College
• #240: Logan Fano, Utah

To me, there are really two ways to add at the position in the draft. Either swing big and hope you connect on a Lukas Van Ness replacement, so that you don’t need to pay him the fifth-year option, or just wait to draft a player in the later rounds to push the likes of Collin Oliver, Brenton Cox and Arron Mosby at the end of the 53-man roster.

The Packers have brought in one projected top-100 selection for a visit at the position, Texas Tech’s Romello Height, while they’ve also had in two borderline draft picks, Michael Heldman of Central Michigan and Nyjalik Kelly of Central Florida.

A favorite of mine, and seemingly the rest of APC, is Penn State’s Dani Dennis-Sutton. If he’s the selection at #52, and the team rolls with him as the Van Ness replacement moving forward opposite of Parsons, I have no issue with the move. I’ve also heard the team is interested in Zion Young of Missouri, though I’m not sure he’ll be available at #52.

Personally, I think it’s swing big or don’t swing at all at the position this year, but I’m curious to hear what you guys would do at edge rusher.

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