This is the third in a nine-part series previewing the NFL Draft and the Green Bay Packers’ needs at each position.
In April, 2008, the Green Bay Packers seemed to have more than enough firepower at wide receiver.
Donald Driver had just finished an 82-catch season, Greg Jennings was coming off a 12-touchdown year, and James Jones had wrapped up a terrific rookie season.
General manager Ted Thompson made the surprising move, though, of using a second round draft pick on a wide receiver. That wideout — one Jordy Nelson — was a huge reason the Packers won Super Bowl XLV
In April, 2011, Thompson had assembled arguably the NFL’s best group of pass catchers in Jennings, Nelson, Driver, Jones and tight end Jermichael Finley.
So what did he do?
Thompson gave quarterback Aaron Rodgers one more weapon when he used a second round pick on Randall Cobb.
“Just the way it worked out,” Thompson said.
Of course, Thompson typically made it work out that the Packers had plenty of pass catchers for Rodgers. And just when you thought he had more than enough, he added another.
Will Green Bay general manager Brian Gutekunst follow a similar path this year?
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Gutekunst has taken six wideouts in the last two drafts and has assembled one of the top young receiver groups in football.
If ever there was a draft Gutekunst could ignore the wide receiver position, it would seemingly be this one. But Gutekunst spent much of his career training under Thompson, understands it takes elite offenses to win championships in today’s NFL, and could have a surprise up his sleeve on draft weekend.
“There’s some pretty good ones in this draft,” Gutekunst said of the wide receiver group. “I mean, I like our group. Nothing is set in stone with that group, which I love. I love the competition there. But we’ll add to it if the right guys are there, for sure.”
The Packers have the 25th pick in the first round and five of the top 91 selections overall. Green Bay’s most glaring needs are at linebacker, offensive line and the defensive backfield.
But in a draft where seven wideouts could go in Round 1, and as many as 20 could be selected in the first three rounds, Gutekunst could find himself staring at a receiver that’s simply too good to pass up.
With two second round picks and two more in the third, Gutekunst could also maneuver around the board and snag a receiver that catches his eye.
“I like the flexibility of maybe not feeling like we have to just stick,” Gutekunst said. “We can probably move around a little bit. It’ll be interesting how that unfolds.”
The way things unfolded for Green Bay’s wide receiver group in 2023 was better than Gutekunst could have ever imagined.
Rookies Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks had tremendous first seasons. Second-year player Romeo Doubs was consistent throughout the season, then erupted in the playoffs, while first-year pro Bo Melton surged late.
If 2022 second-round draft pick Christian Watson — arguably the most talented player in the group — can remain healthy, this could become one of the NFL’s elite groups.
Green Bay may not have a true No. 1 receiver like it did with Davante Adams, Nelson or Antonio Freeman. Having a handful of No. 2 wideouts, though, could eventually prove to be a better situation for the entire passing offense.
“I think it’s a very unselfish room and I think it’s the character of everybody in that room,” quarterback Jordan Love said. “It’s a great group and they’ve come together a lot throughout the season, just the bond.”
Doubs was second on the team in catches (59) and yards (674) during the regular season, and tied for the team lead with eight receiving touchdowns. Then he had a sensational postseason with 10 receptions, 234 yards and two TDs in two games.
“He’s got a great work ethic, a great approach,” Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur said of Doubs. “I love his mentality when that ball is in the air. He is going to snatch that ball. We’ve seen it time after time, just the way that he attacks the football in the air.”
Reed, a second round draft pick last April, had a tremendous first year.
Reed led the Packers in catches (64), which also broke the single-season receptions record by a Packers rookie previously held by Sterling Sharpe (55). Reed also led Green Bay in receiving yards (793), tied for the team lead with eight TD catches and carried the ball for 119 yards and two TDs despite battling a bevy of injuries throughout the year.
“He’s just a heck of a competitor,” LaFleur said of Reed late in the season. “He’s helped us not only in the pass game obviously, but just getting the ball in his hands on reverses, arounds, whatever it may be, screens. I love how he competes, both in the run game and pass game. He’s made plays when given opportunities.”
Wicks (39-581-4) got progressively better throughout the year and could have the most upside in the group. Wicks averaged an impressive 14.9 yards per catch, but his three fumbles were the most among Green Bay’s receivers and must be corrected.
“He has a great mindset,” Green Bay receivers coach Jason Vrable said of Wicks. “But if you really watch him on contact, he kind of has a running back lower half where his whole foot gets in the ground on contact and his lower half is strong. He does a good job when the first guy touches him, that his pad level is low and he runs through it.”
Melton, who went undrafted in 2022, didn’t have a catch until Week 15, then had 15 receptions for 211 yards in the last three games.
The key to the unit jumping from good to great, though, could eventually be Watson.
Watson had a remarkably frustrating 2023 campaign playing in only nine games and taking the field for just 40.7% of the snaps due to a pair of hamstring injuries. Watson had 28 receptions and five touchdowns in his limited time, but this marked the second straight year injuries have derailed his season.
As a rookie in 2022, Watson’s play was limited the first half of the season due to a hamstring injury and a concussion. Watson erupted over the final eight games in 2022, though, with 31 catches for 523 yards (16.9 average) and seven TDs.
The 6-foot-4, 208-pound Watson is undoubtedly the most gifted of Green Bay’s current wideouts. He ran a blazing 4.32-second 40-yard dash at the 2022 NFL Combine, had terrific numbers in the vertical jump (38-1/2”) and the broad jump (11-4), and also has big hands (10 1/8”). In addition, he posted a terrific score of 38 on the 50-question Wonderlic test.
What Watson and the Packers must do now is find a way to keep him on the field in 2024.
“That’s something that we need to figure out because … he’s an impact player,” LaFleur said of Watson. “We see his value when he’s going at full strength. His ability to make plays for us, explosive plays, and we’re better when he’s on the grass.”
Green Bay’s top five wideouts — Reed, Doubs, Watson, Wicks and Reed — will have an average age of 24.2 when the 2024 season begins. No one will be older than 25.
So Gutekunst could ignore receiver in the draft and play the odds that his young group will be even better in 2024.
Gutekunst could also add one more receiver to the mix, hoping that player takes the unit from solid to spectacular.
No matter which path the Packers take, it should be fascinating viewing.
WIDE RECEIVER RANKINGS
1. Marvin Harrison Jr., 6-4, 205; 2. Malik Nabors, LSU, 6-0, 200; 3. Rome Odunze, Washington, 6-3, 215; 4. Brian Thomas Jr., LSU, 6-4, 205; 5. Adonai Mitchell, Texas, 6-4, 196; 6. Ladd McConkey, Georgia, 6-0, 185; 7. Troy Franklin, Oregon, 6-3, 187; 8. Keon Coleman, Florida State, 6-4, 215; 9. Ricky Pearsall, Florida, 6-1, 190; 10. Roman Wilson, Michigan, 6-0, 192.
Part 1: Offensive Line
Part 2: Running Backs
