“Trader Ted” was true to form. For the 10th time in his four drafts as Green Bay’s GM, Ted Thompson traded down, delivering the Packers’ first-round pick to the Jets in exchange for the Jets’ No. 2 pick (36th overall) and an extra fourth-round pick. Thompson then used that No. 2 pick to select Kansas State WR Jordy Nelson, even though the Packers have one of the deepest and most talented WR corps in the league. In the back of Thompson’s mind, no doubt, was the fact No. 1 WR Donald Driver recently turned 33 and No. 2 WR Greg Jennings is expected to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2009 season. With the No. 2 pick the Packers obtained in the trade with Cleveland for DT Corey Williams, Thompson selected Louisville QB Brian Brohm to back up the team’s new starter under center, Aaron Rodgers. The Packers like Brohm’s accuracy and consistency and apparently are comfortable with him despite his lengthy injury history (he was injury-free in ’07 at Louisville). Four spots later, the Packers picked CB Patrick Lee to provide badly needed backup help behind aging starters Charles Woodson and Al Harris. The team likes Lee’s feistiness and believes he’s a good fit for the defense’s bump-and-run scheme. Third-round pick Jermichael Finley is a solid, hardworking blocker targeted to replace the departed Bubba Franks as the backup tight end behind Donald Lee, although he could stand to bulk up. With their two picks in the fourth round, the Packers took DE Jeremy Thompson, who has exceptional physical ability but questionable commitment, and Josh Sitton, who enters the mix at offensive guard now that Tony Palmer has been released. Green Bay continued to focus on its offensive line in the fifth round, selecting OT Breno Giacomini, a good fit in the team’s zone-blocking scheme who adds depth behind veteran starters Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher. After resting in Round Six, the Packers jumped back into action in the final round, selecting QB Matt Flynn, a decent intermediate-range passer who could qualify as the team’s No. 3 signalcaller, and developmental WR Brett Swain.
