Aaron Rodgers is mulling his options after another disappointing playoff exit. Does he return to Green Bay and finish his Hall of Fame career with the franchise that drafted him? Does he play elsewhere a la fellow Packers legend Brett Favre? Does he retire?
No one is sure what Rodgers will do this offseason. He may not even know right now. But during an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show," Rodgers hinted at making his announcement at a later date on the show. I doubt he's hyping up his decision to simply say, "I'm returning to Green Bay."
At this point, the Broncos seem like the most likely landing spot for Rodgers in a trade, and this mock reflects a portion of what the Packers would receive in a Rodgers swap.
Let's get to the picks.
NFL Mock Draft
Round 1
Round 1 - Pick 1
Neal isn't a perfect blocking prospect, but he's massive and has outstanding athleticism. This is the prudent albeit slightly risky selection for Jacksonville.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
Hutchinson is a large, polished player who can become the alpha rusher in Detroit immediately.
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Round 1 - Pick 3
Hamilton can play many positions and excel. The Texans have to get a true game-changer on defense, and Hamilton can be that guy.
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Round 1 - Pick 4
The Jets would love to pair Carl Lawson with Thibodeaux on the edges of Robert Saleh's defense.
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Round 1 - Pick 5
Willis doesn't need to start instantly, but provides competition and a long-term vision at the game's most vital position.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
Ekwonu is a compact, athletic blocker who is capable of locking down one of the edges in Carolina.
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From
Chicago Bears
Round 1 - Pick 7
Cross is silky smooth with All-Pro caliber upside. More blocking investment for Big Blue.
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Round 1 - Pick 8
Stingley is long, twitchy and fast. Plus his ball skills are next level. The Falcons would have a dynamic cornerback duo after this selection.
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Mock Trade from
Denver Broncos
Round 1 - Pick 9
With Rodgers gone -- and maybe Davante Adams? -- Green Bay turns its attention to receiver for Jordan Love with this pick it received in the Rodgers trade.
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From
Seattle Seahawks
Round 1 - Pick 10
Why not give Zach Wilson more receiver options? Olave has a high floor because of his ball-tracking capabilities and route-running chops.
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Round 1 - Pick 11
Pickett had a senior season that will catapult him into the first round. The Football Team has to bring in another arm to compete with Taylor Heinicke this summer.
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Round 1 - Pick 12
Elam is a long, productive cornerback from the SEC, and the Vikings have to address cornerback early.
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Round 1 - Pick 13
Burks is a big bodied receiver who dominates in contest-catch scenarios. But that's not all. He's a horse in the open field. The Browns need a true No. 1 wideout.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
Gardner played at Cincinnati but his style is an exquisite fit in Baltimore. The Ravens are a press-man team -- although that could change after the departure of defensive coordinator Wink Martindale -- and Gardner is an on-and-island corner.
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From
Miami Dolphins
Round 1 - Pick 15
If Linderbaum is there when the Eagles pick, there should be no hesitation. To pay respects to the career Jason Kelce had at center, Linderbaum should be the first selection as his heir apparent at the position.
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From
Indianapolis Colts
Round 1 - Pick 16
Lloyd is a rocket at linebacker with a magnificently large tackling radius. The Eagles need a player like him on their defense.
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Round 1 - Pick 17
Karlaftis is an NFL-ready defensive end. He's long, powerful with great burst and a nice arsenal of pass-rush moves.
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Round 1 - Pick 18
Williams should be close to 100% early in his rookie season after ACL surgery, and the Saints have to get more dynamic at receiver, regardless of who their quarterback is.
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Round 1 - Pick 19
Ojabo is an explosive, bendy rusher who needs refinement with his hands. The Eagles must address their edge-rusher spot early in the draft.
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Round 1 - Pick 20
Corral has the scrambling ability and arm talent to become a quality passer in today's NFL.
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Round 1 - Pick 21
Dean could sink in the draft because he's on the smaller side with short arms, but his film is squeaky clean, and the Patriots have to add youth and speed to their linebacker group.
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Round 1 - Pick 22
McDuffie is a boundary corner with quicks of a nickel defender. He'd be a welcomed addition to the Raiders secondary.
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Round 1 - Pick 23
Hill and Budda Baker would formulate quite the versatile safety tandem in Arizona. Hill can play safety or any cornerback spot.
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Round 1 - Pick 24
London moves like he's much smaller, but at 6-foot-5 he's a wideout who plays above the rim better than any receiver in this class.
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Round 1 - Pick 25
Booth is a big-time athlete with big-time ball skills. Buffalo adds another playmaker to its top defense.
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Round 1 - Pick 26
Raimann is the small-school blocker who's going to rise during the draft process after the Senior Bowl. He's long and athletic with good power. The foundation is there for him to become a high-end edge protector.
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Round 1 - Pick 27
McBride is a springy receiving tight end who'd give the Buccaneers a long-term future at that position.
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Round 1 - Pick 28
Cine is a thumping safety who doesn't play out of control. He's a quality coverage player in man or zone.
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Round 1 - Pick 29
Kirkland is a pass-blocking specialist with great feet. The Bengals must fortify the right side of their offensive line for Joe Burrow.
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From
San Francisco 49ers
Round 1 - Pick 30
Green is probably the consensus top guard at the start of draft season, and Miami has to continue to build its offensive line.
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From
Los Angeles Rams
Round 1 - Pick 31
Bell is a sneaky good receiver prospect who can win down the field on the perimeter. I'd love to see him in Detroit with Amon-Ra St. Brown in the slot.
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Round 1 - Pick 32
The Chiefs could use an outside rusher to improve their defense, and Thomas has a good chance of sneaking into Round 1.
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