Building The 53 - 2013 NFL Draft Day 2 Packers Review

New broke as the second day of the 2013 NFL Draft was about to start that Aaron Rodgers signed a five-year, $110 million contract.  Even if the Packers get a franchise player in the 2013 NFL Draft, I will always remember this draft as the one that Rodgers signed essentially a lifetime contract with the Packers. As always, Rodgers sent out this classy tweet:

Big thanks to the Organization, our coaching staff, my teammates, and packer nation for the last 8 years!Excited about 7 more!#extension
— Aaron Rodgers (@AaronRodgers12) April 26, 2013

After agreeing to the largest contract in NFL history with Rodgers, Day 2 of the 2013 NFL Draft must have felt like small potatoes for Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson.  As usual, Thompson traded back sending the 55th pick to the San Francisco 49ers for the 61st and 173rd picks.

Seems like the Packers got swindled by the 49ers when you look at a similar trade in the second round.  Remember that for the 55th pick the Packers got the 61st and 173rd picks.  Conversely for the 56th pick the Seattle Seahawks got the 62nd, 165th, and 199th picks from the Baltimore Ravens.

Here are the guys that went from 55 to 60: Vance McDonald (TE, Rice), Arthur Brown (ILB, Kansas State), D.J. Swearinger (S, South Carolina), Montee Ball (RB, Wisconsin), Aaron Dobson (WR, Marshall), and Robert Alford (CB, SE Louisiana).  I am salty about missing out on drafting either Swearinger or Ball but that is mitigated by the fact that I absolutely love the guy the Packers drafted with the 61st pick.

With the 61st pick, the Packers choose Eddie Lacy (RB, Alabama).  In my first round "mock draft" of what I would do if I were every general manager I gave Lacy to the Packers with the 26th pick.  Here is what I said about Lacy:
"The Packers inability to run the ball is a little bit of a chicken and the egg problem for me.  Clearly the Packers do not commit to the run but it seems like they should be able to run at least a little bit given how much defenses have to respect their passing game.  I would like the Packers to at least have the threat of a three-down back, which they haven't had since Ahman Green left town for the first time sans a couple above average years for Ryan Grant." (Source)

Immediately after the Packers drafted Lacy, I sent out this tweet:

Happy to welcome @lil_eazy_ana_42 to #Packers, will be interesting to see how he compares to @m_ball28 b/c #Packers could have had either.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) April 27, 2013

If I signed off on the Packers drafting Lacy 26th overall then you know I am downright ecstatic that they got him at the end of the second round.  Things were plugging along fine with the Packers set to select someone with the 88th pick but two trades were made in quick succession that both resulted in the Packers moving back in the draft.

Instead of taking a player with the 88th pick, the Packers traded back in the draft with the 49ers for the second time today.  The Packers traded the 88th pick to the 49ers for the 93rd and 216th picks.  Almost immediately the Packers shipped the 93rd pick they acquired from the 49ers to the Dolphins for the 109th, 146th, and the 224th picks.  That means that for the 88th pick the Packers got the 109th, 146th, 216th and 224th picks.

From 88 to 97 (the end of the 3rd round) a few guys went that I would have loved to see the Packers draft: Brennan Williams (OT, North Carolina), Stedman Bailey (WR, WVU), and Brandon Williams (DT, Missouri Southern State).

With all the patented trading back by Thompson it will be interesting to watch Day 3 of the 2013 NFL Draft because the Packers currently have 10 picks so make sure to check back for my Day 3 Packers Preview of the 2013 NFL Draft.