None of the players the Packers acquired is likely to become a much-needed difference-maker, but all three defensive players are durable, above-average performers who just completed their fourth NFL season, which means they might still be ascending talents. The most important aspect of the deals, however, is they should better set up the Packers to find a bona fide difference-maker or two in the NFL draft next month.

Because there might not be a genuine star among the Packers newcomers, some will claim they overpaid for good — not great — players. But while all four are almost certain to be upgrades over the players they will replace in the starting lineup, it is the domino effect of those deals that will have the greatest impact on the Packers as they try to recover from back-to-back playoff-free seasons.

Basically, what Gutekunst did was fill the four biggest holes in the lineup and give himself uncommon freedom in the draft to select without regard to need. Indeed, as good as Tuesday’s acquisitions were on paper, they can’t be looked at in a vacuum. The Packers added versatile, experienced, high-quality players to a roster badly in need of such players, but they also opened up a whole new world of possibilities in the draft.