Where can the Packers find the most value for their money in the first round of the NFL draft?

When it comes to rookie contracts, quarterbacks get all the love. And rightly so, but they aren’t the only position providing gobs of extra value to teams relative to what they cost. In fact, a good player at any position injects surplus value into teams precisely because good players usually cost money. A cheap good player is the best kind of good player.

And some positions offer opportunities for far more upside than others, leaving teams like the cap-strapped Green Bay Packers positioned to be all the savvier about positional values to squeeze blood out of the draft stone. Given their current roster, two positions stand out as optimal opportunities to maximize this 2023 NFL Draft.

First, I get it; keep the nerds out of it. “Surplus value” sounds like a word economists use, not football teams. Maybe, but it’s actually an incredibly simple idea and one even hardcore football guys will appreciate. How much better is a player than his cost? How much would a player who is also as good make on the open market? If the answer is “a lot,” that’s really good.

See? It’s actually easy and also important. We always want teams to be smart about their money. Sign players who can exceed the value of their contracts, not just meet it. That’s surplus value. Not so scary.

Kevin Cole, formerly of Pro Football Focus and who now runs Unexpected Points, created a handy visual for understanding what positions offer the most upside on rookie deals. And while it may seem obvious the premium positions would offer the most value — that’s why they’re premium positions — the cost part of this adds an interesting wrinkle.

Top-of-market receivers weren’t getting pass rusher money until recently, which meant receivers were cheaper to retain or sign on the open market. That meant pass rushers were even more valuable on rookie deals. With the market for offensive linemen exploding, offensive tackles on their rookie contracts currently provide the most bang for your buck.