Weak wide receiver class in free agency and draft is bad news for Packers
After about a decade of having one of the strongest wide receiver groups in the NFL, the Green Bay Packers are in the process of rebuilding the group. Unfortunately, they may not get much help from this year’s draft or free agency class.
Long gone are the early days of Aaron Rodgers’ career when he had the likes of Greg Jennings, Randall Cobb, James Jones, Jordy Nelson, and Davante Adams to throw to. He was working with a much less talented group last year.
That group has experienced ongoing turnover that will likely continue this offseason. Randall Cobb and Allen Lazard are unrestricted free agents and it’s unclear if they’ll return to Green Bay. Meanwhile, they drafted Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and Samori Toure last season. Watson has the potential to be a superstar, Doubs could turn into a legit receiver and Toure could become a no. 4 if everything works out in his favor.
The Green Bay Packers could use an upgrade at wide receiver this offseason, unfortunately, it’s a weak class in both free agency and the draft.
Still, the Packers need more talent at the position.
In past years, receivers have come out of the draft to make an immediate impact in their rookie season. Think of Justin Jefferson (22nd overall pick in 2020 with 88 receptions for 1400 yards and 7 touchdowns in rookie season), CeeDee Lamb (17th overall pick in 2020 with 74 receptions for 935 yards and 5 touchdowns in rookie season), Amon-Ra St. Brown (112th overall pick in 2021 with 90 receptions for 912 yards and 5 touchdowns in rookie season), Jaylen Waddle (6th overall pick in 2021 with 104 receptions for 1015 yards and 6 touchdowns in rookie season), Ja’Marr Chase (5th overall pick in 2021 with 81 receptions for 1455 yards and 13 touchdowns in rookie season), and Garrett Wilson (10th overall pick in 2022 with 83 receptions 1104 yards and four touchdowns in his rookie season). The list goes on.
That won’t be the case this season. PFF has just seven receivers worthy of a first or second-round pick. There are no sure things in this year’s class, with each receiver having his own list of warts he must overcome.
Free agency isn’t any different. Pff has just seven receivers in their top 100, including Allen Lazard at 65 and Odell Beckham Jr., who didn’t play at all last season, at 41. Their top-ranked free agent receiver is undrafted Jakobi Meyers.
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That doesn’t mean there isn’t talent out there and available to the Packers this offseason. There are still quality players to be added to their roster. However, we shouldn’t expect them to add a franchise-altering talent like Jefferson in the middle of the first round.