For the most part you are correct Zero. GB does take the BPA but within certain parameters. If there are two players available that they rank the same, they will take the player who best fits their needs. Both for the short term and long run.
Trying to fill for need only is dangerous.

As has been said many times, most rookies are not that good their first year so a team that has a need and tries to fill it with a rookie is still going to have a need at that position.

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1: OL (T or C)
2. Corner
3. Defensive Line
4: Inside Linebacker
5: Wide Receiver

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Some former scouts have said that basically the NFL teams give players grades and after the elite 10 to 25 (depending on which draft year), then you'll have numerous guys with the same grade and you start looking more at position need.

Fans kept saying Thompson didn't look at need, but fans kept looking at players in contract years as obviously here...

If you look at those contract players and say they're not obviously here for the future and count them as needs, then I think you get what the Packers look at, as they have often drafted an important position in a contract year quite high, often in the 2nd selection, but need clearly plays a huge factor in the second selection if you assume contract years could be out the door.

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I wonder if the the definition for "need" is different for a General Manager than it is for a Fan? As a fan, I think need infers for the upcoming season. As a GM, I think need is for the future.

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