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NFL
Packers weren't tempted to trade into first round of 2026 draft
TL;DR
Packers GM Brian Gutekunst stated he wasn't interested in trading into the first round of the 2026 draft, citing high costs. He prefers to use this year's draft picks if trading up in the second round.
Key points
- Packers GM Brian Gutekunst not tempted to trade into first round
- Cost to trade up from No. 52 was too high
- Gutekunst prefers using this year's draft picks for trades
- Jon-Eric Sullivan traded back from No. 11 to No. 27
- Sullivan is now the GM of the Miami Dolphins
Mentioned in this story
Green Bay PackersMiami DolphinsBrian GutekunstJon-Eric Sullivan
Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said he wasn't tempted to trade into the first round on Thursday night, and if he ends up trading up in the second round on Friday night, he prefers to use picks from this year's draft over next year's draft.
The Packers watched 32 players come off the board during Thursday's first round, but Gutekunst knew the cost was too high to trade up from No. 52 and into the first round.
On considering trading up into the first round: "Not really. Jon-Eric (Sullivan) took care of all that, he was trading all over the place. But no. Again, we didn't really expect for that to happen. To get up into the first round was going to be quite expensive."
Sullivan, a former Packers executive under Gutekunst and now the general manager of the Miami Dolphins, traded back from No. 11 and up to No. 27 during the first round.
The Packers won't go on the clock until pick No. 52 in the second round, meaning 19 more players will come off the board until Gutekunst gets his first swing. He didn't sound worried and even mentioned the possibility of trading back.
On sitting and making a pick at No. 52: "We're confident we're going to get a really good player if we stick at 52. Even if we move back, we feel really good about how the board is and that we're going to get a good player who can help us."
Gutekunst said he expects a chaotic start to the second round on Friday night.
On the second round: "It'll be interesting how the first 10-15 picks happen tomorrow, and see if anybody gets close enough that we want to go up. But we feel pretty confident we can stick where we're at and get a very good player."
Don't expect the Packers to use picks from the 2027 draft to help them move up this year. Green Bay could have 11 or more picks next year, and Gutekunst doesn't sound too excited about giving one up.
On using next year's picks to trade up on Friday: "Those picks next year are going to be important for us. If the right player is there and that's what it takes, we'll consider it, but I'd prefer to do a pick this year."
Packers picks entering Day 2
Q&A
Why didn't the Packers trade into the first round of the 2026 draft?
The Packers found the cost to trade up from No. 52 into the first round too high.
What does Brian Gutekunst prefer if the Packers trade up in the second round?
Gutekunst prefers to use picks from this year's draft rather than next year's draft.
Who is Jon-Eric Sullivan and what did he do during the draft?
Jon-Eric Sullivan, a former Packers executive, traded back from No. 11 to No. 27 during the first round while serving as the GM of the Miami Dolphins.