Packers winners and losers after Round 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft

The Green Bay Packers used the 25th overall pick to select offensive lineman Jordan Morgan, from Arizona. As any first-round pick, the decision brings huge implications for several people inside the organization, both positively and negatively.

Let's evaluate who's happy and who might not be after the first day of the NFL Draft.

Winners

Jordan Love

In his first season as a full-time starter, Jordan Love was clearly able to elevate the skill position talent around him. Even with a lot of first- and second-year pass-catching options, Love pulled off a strong season, leading the Packers to the playoffs even without a 1,000-yard receiver.

But he is not as good when pressured. The difference for any quarterback with or without pressure is obviously significant, and Love's biggest mistakes in 2023 happened when he was rushed and tried to create something out of nothing.

The addition of a high-end offensive lineman follows that logic. Theoretically, Morgan will start at right guard from day 1, which will reinforce the unit that had lost David Bakhtiari, Jon Runyan, and Yosh Nijman during the offseason.

Jordan Love is the future of the franchise. As such, he deserves to get what makes him a better quarterback.

Matt LaFleur

Jordan Morgan is an extremely athletic offensive lineman. Sure, his arm length is not ideal for an NFL tackle, but as Brian Gutekunst said during his press conference, Morgan makes up for it with his movement skills.

That ability to move and use his feet correctly are extremely important for a zone-heavy run scheme. Playing inside or outside, Morgan will have the opportunity to advance to the second level of the defense, and that's perfect for what Matt LaFleur wants to build schematically.

Even if the Packers are not a run-heavy offense, LaFleur's system is naturally run-centric, and it's important to have athletic linemen to make that happen at a high level.

Eric Stokes

Had the Packers traded up for Terrion Arnold or simply taken Cooper DeJean in the first round, they would have shown a willingness to move on from Eric Stokes, or at least lessen his importance for the roster. Now, they will still probably add defensive backs on days 2 and 3 of the draft, but Stokes has a clearer path to keep his starting job opposite Jaire Alexander.

The Packers will most likely decline Stokes' fifth-year option next week, but he will have a contract year to get healthy and show what made him a promising player as a rookie in 2021.

Losers

Sean Rhyan

Until Thursday, the former third-round pick was the projected starting right guard for the Packers. Those days might be over. Jordan Morgan has the flexibility to play tackle or guard, but Brian Gutekunst said the best five will play.

It's not hard to see how this will unfold. Rasheed Walker and Zach Tom are much better than Rhyan, so it makes sense to keep them as the starting tackles and play Morgan at right guard.

Rhyan won't compete with Elgton Jenkins either, so his best shot at a starting job at this point is at center, against Josh Myers. But that's not a likely scenario whatsoever.

Royce Newman

If Rhyan might have lost his starting job, Newman now is under real risk of being released. The offensive guard was the only backup interior offensive lineman on the 90-man roster, but that changed on Thursday.

To get things more complicated, Newman reached a playing time threshold, elevating his 2024 salary to $3.116 million this year — but that's not a guaranteed number, so the Packers can cut him and open up this cap space. The dead money would be only $124,836, so it's hard to justify his roster spot at that price after two bad seasons.

Jeff Hafley

The Packers have defensive needs at linebacker and safety, plus potential depth needs at cornerbacks, edge defender, and interior of the defensive line. But after so many defensive first-round picks, Brian Gutekunst decided to go offense this time around.

Now, that's Jeff Hafley's problem. The new defensive coordinator will have to work with what he had, besides potential day 2 and 3 rookies.