GREEN BAY, Wis. – Nothing will ever compare to the Green Bay Packers selecting Tony Mandarich with the No. 2 overall pick of the 1989 NFL Draft instead of future Hall of Famers Barry Sanders, Derrick Thomas or Deion Sanders. Nonetheless, then-general manager Ted Thompson’s decision to bypass T.J. Watt for Kevin King in the 2017 draft was a monumental blunder.
Watt (assuming he’s back from a groin injury) and King (assuming he’s back from illness) will be on the field when the Pittsburgh Steelers visit the Packers on Sunday. If so, it will be a cruel reminder of the massive, wasted opportunity to add one of the NFL’s true game-changing players.