As the heat of free agency has come and gone, team needs have set in. And as we make our way towards draft weekend, the picture is becoming more clear when it comes to which positions each will be targeting.

The Green Bay Packers need a wide receiver. For too long now it has been the Aaron Rodgers to Davante Adams show, and that can only get them so far. It’s arguably Green Bay’s biggest need but does that mean it should take one at No. 30 no matter what? I would argue no.

It not only makes our job easier as draft analysts, but it also makes it easier for teams to potentially predict who may be left on the board when they're on the clock. The latter is very important in the equation of building a draft strategy. Sure, every team is going to have Ohio State’s Chase Young ranked high on their board, but there are probably only five teams that even have a chance at drafting him. That's why creating a comprehensive big board that includes all the prospects you're interested matters and having a realistic approach to who could be on the board (or in range for a trade up) allows for less panic, chaos or uncertainty.

The Packers have two other pressing needs and an added depth need beyond receiver. They have a pretty big hole at linebacker after losing Blake Martinez and Kyler Fackrell in free agency. Green Bay signed Christian Kirksey to help cover its losses but the need for an impact player in the middle is immanent.

There is also a need on the offensive line, specifically at offensive tackle. The Packers offset their free-agent loss of Bryan Bulaga with the addition of Ricky Wagner. But it wasn't a 1:1 replacement. They could certainly use a more reliable player. Green Bay also needs depth needed at cornerback. Jaire Alexander is panning out to be one of the top young corners in the league, but in today's NFL, teams need at least two, preferably three, starting-caliber corners. Kevin King and Josh Jackson haven't been enough opposite Alexander.

The Packers have a number of options at No. 30 in the draft order. In a loaded receiver class, they could target Baylor's Denzel Mims, TCU's Jalen Reagor, Penn State's K.J. Hamler or Clemson's Tee Higgins.

But would those players give Green Bay the biggest return on an investment relative to other prospects?

The Packers have nine picks after the first round and they could realistically wait to select a receiver in Rounds 2 or 3 and still get a quality pass-catcher; other position groups aren’t as deep. Take linebacker for example. There are a consensus top-three linebackers in this class. Isaiah Simmons is at the top of that list, but he’s out of the Packers’ reach. Kenneth Murray and Patrick Queen are the other two top LBs and have been projected into the early 20s; they could be on the board when Green Bay is on the clock. If they are, there is an argument to be made that selecting one of them would be a better choice than any of the receivers previously mentioned.

After Murray and Queen, there is a big drop off in linebacker projection. If the Packers drafted a receiver in the first round and waited to grab a linebacker, they might only get one starter. However, if they prioritized Murray or Queen at the top and went for a wide receiver on Day 2, they might get two starters out of it.

The same could be said for the offensive line class. Offensive tackle is a prioritized position and that means the good ones go fast. Even if a team is drafting one at the end of the first round, they might not mean a Year 1 starter. Green Bay has Wagner; it’s not a pressing need, but if Houston's Josh Jones, Georgia's Isaiah Wilson or USC’s Austin Jackson are still on the board, a combination of them and a receiver later could once again give the Packers two starters instead of one.

Green Bay can still take a receiver at the end of the first round, but would it be the best pick? It depends on who is still available. There are some plans that have a higher return on investment than others depending on who the Packers prioritize at the top.