Green Bay Packers select Sean Rhyan in third round of 2022 NFL Draft
The Green Bay Packers have selected Sean Rhyan out of UCLA with the 92nd overall selection in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Coming into the weekend, the Packers had a gaping hole to fill at the wide receiver position, after Davante Adams was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders. Green Bay received their first-round pick (22nd overall selection) and a second-round pick (53rd overall selection) in exchange for the two-time first-team All-Pro receiver. While Adams was far and away the premiere talent they lost at receiver, the franchise also lost Marquez Valdes-Scantling (Kansas City Chiefs) and Equanimeous St. Brown (Chicago Bears) to free agency. The Packers also recently signed former Baltimore wideout Sammy Watkins.
In last year’s draft, the Packers selected Clemson’s Amari Rodgers in the third round, but he wasn’t utilized very much in the 2021-2022 season. He had eight targets last season, catching four passes for 44 receiving yards and no touchdowns. Green Bay’s leading receiver they return on their roster is Allen Lazard. He had a career year last year, hauling in 40 catches for 513 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. Another pass catcher that returns is Randall Cobb, but he just wrapped up his 11th NFL season. Tight end Robert Tonyan also returns. He tore his ACL against the Arizona Cardinals on Oct. 28, but is expected back and healthy in time for the start of the 2022-2023 NFL season.
Green Bay will likely draft multiple receivers in this year’s draft to give Aaron Rodgers weaponry on the offensive side of the ball. It’s going to be hard to replace Davante Adams, who will be a Hall-of-Famer once he hangs up his cleats. Rodgers and Adams’ chemistry was among the best in the league. That blend of elite talent and chemistry are hard to come by.
The offensive line is another position of need for the Packers during this year’s draft. They’ll likely look to add depth to the position since they lost Lucas Patrick to the Chicago Bears (967 snaps) and Billy Turner to the Denver Broncos (866 snaps) in free agency. Green Bay will also need to add a pass rusher to replace the elite production of Za’Darius Smith, who departed via free agency to the Minnesota Vikings. The two-time Pro Bowler racked up 26 total sacks, 29 tackles for loss, and 60 quarterback hits for the Packers in 32 games between 2019 and 2021.
Previously, the Packers selected Quay Walker and Devonte Wyatt out of Georgia with their first-round picks. In the second round, they traded up to nab wide receiver Christian Watson out of North Dakota State and got Rhyan in the third round.