The Packers took the wrong center.
Green Bay Packers fans can't have too many complaints about Brian Gutekunst's tenure.
He successfully navigated the Aaron Rodgers-to-Jordan Love transition, fleeced the New York Jets, and launched a new era of Packers football. Home run is the best way to describe Gutekunst's 2023 draft class, and this year's additions have the potential to make it two years in a row.
However, even the greatest general managers can't bat a thousand. The Packers have benefitted from this in the past. Aaron Rodgers fell to 24th overall. Davante Adams went in the second round. Other teams passing on them allowed the Packers to land two franchise legends.
Sometimes, it works the other way.
Packers can only play the what-if game after Creed Humphrey signs massive extension
In 2021, the Packers needed a new starting center, so they drafted Ohio State's Josh Myers with the 62nd overall selection. One pick later, the Kansas City Chiefs chose Oklahoma's Creed Humphrey.
Bad move.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Chiefs are signing Humphrey to a four-year, $72 million extension with $50 million guaranteed. He is now the highest-paid center in history, and by a mile.
Myers' Packers career has been up-and-down, to say the least, but Humphrey has become a two-time Pro Bowler with the Chiefs. Myers is entering potentially his final season in Green Bay, and the selection of Jacob Monk in this year's draft shows the Packers have at least hedged their bets. There's no such concern in Kansas City, where Humphrey has become arguably the league's best center.
The worst part? Humphrey checked almost every box the Packers look for at the position.
He earned a perfect Relative Athletic Score of 10.00 before the draft, something Green Bay values highly. He was also a phenomenal pass-protector in college, another trait the Packers covet. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed zero sacks and just 28 pressures on 1,297 pass-blocking snaps during his three seasons for Oklahoma.
The signs were there, but the Packers surprisingly went with Myers. It's a decision that continues to haunt them today.
