With the contract extension to wide receiver Christian Watson last week, the Green Bay Packers finished up most of their long-term decisions on the 2022 draft class. Watson, as well as offensive linemen Zach Tom and Sean Rhyan all signed extensions in the last calendar year. The lone player from the ‘22 draft class who will need an extension past 2026 is defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt, who is playing on his 5th-year option this season.
What comes up next for the Packers will be several interesting decisions about their 2023 draft picks.
The 2023 draft class by the Packers has been important for the team’s three-straight playoff appearances. They have been a sparkplug for the team’s resurgence under quarterback starting quarterback Jordan Love, after missing the playoffs in 2022.
This season will be the 4th season for the six remaining players taken in 2023, which will lead to decisions to make on some of them. Currently, Lukas Van Ness and Jayden Reed are the only two of the six who are under contract for the Packers past 2026.
Here’s a look at the 13 picks from 2023:
Round 1: No. 13 (from NYJ) - Lukas Van Ness, DE, Iowa
Van Ness was drafted as a long-term option to start at edge rusher. He was drafted at No. 13 overall with the pick obtained from the Jets in the Aaron Rodgers trade. The Packers moved up from No. 15 to No. 13, swapping first round picks with the Jets. Van Ness joined the Packers after not starting a game in college. So far, he’s had some flashes of possibly becoming a starting caliber defensive lineman, but the overall results have been very underwhelming. In three seasons, he has just 8.5 sacks, with a career-best of four as a rookie.
This season, Van Ness will be playing for his third different defensive coordinator in four seasons. As a rookie, Van Ness was a standing up outside linebacker under coordinator Joe Barry. The past two seasons, he was used as both a traditional defensive end and defensive tackle by Jeff Hafley. Currently, with the departure of Rashan Gary and ACL-rehab for Micah Parsons, Van Ness should be one of the team’s starting edge rusher in Week 1 for the first time in his career.
Lukas Van Ness vs. Jordan Morgan is gonna be a fascinating camp battle. Two former first-round picks who are significant factors in 2026 after slow starts to their careers, and they’re going to see each other a lot. Once the pads get strapped, could get very interesting.
— Ryan Wood (@ByRyanWood) June 9, 2026
His 5th-year option was picked up in April, so Van Ness has the two seasons to prove he’s worthy of being the guy opposite of Micah Parsons, or another disappointing first round pick defensive lineman picked by the Packers in the past 30 years.
Lukas Van Ness Headlines Packers' First Mandatory Minicamp Practice https://t.co/JYRvwXNlun #Packers #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/opAWysrI1q
— CheeseheadTV 🧀 (@cheeseheadtv) June 9, 2026
Round 2: No. 42 (from NYJ) - Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State
With the other pick acquired in the Rodgers trade, the Packers took the rangy, field-stretching tight end out of Oregon State. Musgrave started from the get-go as a rookie in 2023, and at times showed potential as a big-play option at tight end. However, the injury issues that plagued Musgrave in college, have also been the case for the Packers. He had a career-best 34 catches for 352 yards and a touchdown in that rookie season, and then started the last 10 games of 2025 after Tucker Kraft’s season-ending knee injury. However, Musgrave caught just 24 passes for 252 yards. It is likely this is the last season for Musgrave as a Packer and could even be a trade candidate if Kraft shows he will be ready by Week 1.
Round 2: No. 50 (from TB) - Jayden Reed, WR, Michigan State
The Packers traded up in Round 2 to draft Reed, a perfect fit as the slot receiver in Matt LaFleur’s offense. Reed was the first of three wide receivers taken in 2023. He has been a dynamic weapon when in the lineup, starting 26 of 40 games played. In three seasons, Reed has 138 catches for 1,857 yards and 15 touchdowns, and three more rushing touchdowns. Reed was the team’s leading receiver in yards in both 2023 and 2024, but was limited to just seven games in 2025 because of a broken collarbone sustained in Week 2.
Reed played in 33 of 34 possible games his first two seasons, and because of his big-play ability as a slot receiver that he was extended in April to a three-year contract for $50 million. The Packers are counting on having him, Watson and last year’s first round Matthew Golden to be the focal points at wide receiver in 2026 and beyond.
Nearly $150 million worth of receivers here.
Christian Watson fresh off his $92.5 million extension last week, and Jayden Reed ($50.25 million in April). pic.twitter.com/Wsp5TIlfHH
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) June 9, 2026
Round 3: N0. 78 - Tucker Kraft, TE, South Dakota State
If there is a player in this class worthy of the next extension it is Kraft. Despite not being a regular starter at tight end until Week 12 of his rookie year, Kraft has been one of the team’s best players on offense the last three seasons. He outperformed Musgrave in both 2023 (355 yards) and 2025 (489 yards) despite starting just eight games each seasons. He broke out in 2024, catching 50 passes for 707 yards and seven touchdowns. Last season his six touchdown catches were tied for the team lead with Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson, despite not playing the final half of the season.
Tucker Kraft is such a monster. pic.twitter.com/vHssCuMTH1
— Dusty (@DustyEvely) June 9, 2026
In the last two seasons, the Packers offense has been at its best when it can rely on Kraft’s run after catch ability in the intermediate passing game as well as being a great blocker in the running game. The question for his extension is not if but when.
Round 4: No. 116 - Colby Wooden, DL, Auburn
The first of the 2023 draft class to no longer be a member of the Packers. After starting 16 of 17 games last season at defensive tackle, Wooden was traded to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for linebacker Zaire Franklin. He played a total of 47 games in three seasons, finishing his Packers career with a half sack.
Round 5: No. 149 - Sean Clifford, QB, Penn State
Clifford was Jordan Love’s backup in 2023, finishing his Packers career with one completion for 37 yards. He stayed with the team in 2024, being the team’s third quarterback, spending most of the year on the team’s practice squad. He’s currently on the Cincinnati Bengals roster after spending parts of 2025 on their practice squad.
Round 5: No. 149 - Dontayvion Wicks, WR, Virginia (from Jax)
Wicks looked like a fifth-round steal after his rookie season. He had a career-best 39 catches for 581 yards and four receiving touchdowns in 2023. However, he struggled with drops in 2024, catching 39 balls again for 415 yards and a career-high six touchdowns. He had his best performance of 2025, six catches for 94 yards and two touchdowns in the Thanksgiving day win in Detroit. However, because of how inconsistent his performance was the last two seasons, Wicks was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in the offseason for a 5th-round pick (which became offensive lineman Jager Burton) .
Round 6: No. 179 (from Hou) - Karl Brooks, DL, Bowling Green
Brooks was the team’s third defensive lineman taken in 2023. He has been very reliable, playing 50 of 51 games, including starter a career-high seven games in 2025. He has eight career sacks (4 in 2023, 3.5 in 2024, 0.5 in 2025), and will be an intriguing option for Gannon as a possible interior pass rusher behind Devonte Wyatt and Jonathan Hargrave.
Round 6: No. 207 (from SF) - Anders Carlson, K, Auburn
Carlson was drafted with the hopes of emulating his brother Daniel, as a reliable NFL kicker. However, also like Daniel (by the Vikings), Anders was let go by the team who drafted him. He showed some promise as a long distance kicker, but despite making all 20 of his field goal attempts inside 39 yards, Carlson finished the season 27 of 33 on field goals and a disappointing 34 for 39 on PAT kicks. He also missed a PAT kick in the Packers playoff win over the Cowboys and then missed a 41-yarder against the 49ers, which ultimately led to a loss in San Francisco. He was released by the team after training camp in 2024. He kicked for both the 49ers and Jets in 2024, before being released by the Jets before the start of the 2025 preseason. He currently kicks fo the Birmingham Stallions of the UFL.
Round 7: No. 232 - Carrington Valentine, CB, Kentucky
Valentine was the first of the team’s four 7th-round picks and he’s also the last of the six current Packers taken in 2023. So far he’s played in 49 of 51 possible games, starting in 30 of them. He has three career interceptions, two coming in 2024 and one in the playoff loss to the Bears this past January. He will be vying for a starting position at cornerback this season, likely competing with the Packers first pick of 2026, Brandon Cisse. Valentine has shown promise as a cover corner, but he’s struggled mightily as a tackler. His role in 2026 should be an indicator if the team extends him or moves on this offseason.
Starting w/ the ones in team:
Love
Jacobs
Whyle - Swinson
Watson - Golden
Morgan - Burton - Rhyan - Belton - Kinnard
McClellan - Stackhouse - Brooks
Sorrell - Zaire - Coop - LVN
Nixon - Valentine
X - Williams
— Andy Herman (@AndyHermanNFL) June 9, 2026
Round 7: No. 235 (from Det) - Lew Nichols II, RB, Central Michigan
Nichols did not play a game for the Packers, as he was released after training camp in 2023. He was signed by both the Eagles and Steelers in the last two years, suiting up just one game for the Steelers in 2025.
Round 7: No. 242 (from Jax) - Anthony Johnson Jr, S, Iowa State
Johnson, who was given the No. 36 worn by former Packers greats LeRoy Butler and Nick Collins, showed some potential as a rookie. He played in 12 games and started four, including playing meaningful snaps in both playoff games against the Cowboys and 49ers. However, after Xavier McKinney, Evan Williams, Javon Bullard and Kitan Oladapo were all brought in the 2024 offseason, Johnson did not make the team after training camp in 2024. He was claimed off waiver by the Giants in 2024 and played 9 games in New York that season. He currently was signed by the Bears to their roster in the 2026 offseason.
Round 7: No. 256 - Grant DuBose, WR, Charlotte
The last of three WRs taken in 2023, DuBose finished his Packers career with no games played after spending the entire 2023 season on the practice squad. After being released in the final cuts before the 2024 season, DuBose was claimed by the Dolphins, playing three games in Miami in 2024. He caught two passes for 11 yards, but sustained a very scary injury, ending his season. He was signed and released by the Bills during the preseason in 2025.
Packers 2023 Draft Picks
Round Pick Player Pos School Current Team
1 13 Lukas Van Ness Edge Iowa Packers - 5th year extension given April 2026
2 42 Luke Musgrave TE Oregon State Packers - backup TE
2 50 Jayden Reed WR Michigan State Packers - starting slot WR, extended in April 2026
3 78 Tucker Kraft TE South Dakota State Packers - current starting TE
4 116 Colby Wooden DL Auburn Colts - traded for LB Z. Franklin in March 2026
5 149 Sean Clifford QB Penn State Bengals - one career pass with GB in 2023
5 159 Dontayvion Wicks WR Virginia Eagles - traded for 5th Rd pick in April 2026
6 179 Karl Brooks DL Bowling Green Packers - backup defensive tackle
6 207 Anders Carlson K Auburn Birmingham Stallions (UFL) - released by NYJ before 2025 season
7 232 Carrington Valentine CB Kentucky Packers - projected starting CB in 2026
7 235 Lew Nichols II RB Central Michigan Steelers - played one game in 2025
7 242 Anthony Johnson Jr. S Iowa State Bears - played 12 games with NYG in 2024
7 256 Grant DuBose WR Charlotte Out of football - last played with Mia 2024, released by Columbus Aviators (UFL) May 2026