The Green Bay Packers weren't on the clock on night one of the NFL Draft, but they still saw a former player, receiver Dontayvion Wicks, dealt a rough hand. Weeks after acquiring the veteran wideout via trade and signing him to a one-year, $12.5 million extension, the Philadelphia Eagles traded up to draft receiver Makai Lemon with the No. 20 overall pick.
With another receiver added to the mix, things got more clouded for Wicks before he even played a snap with the Eagles. While it doesn't necessarily mean he will be an afterthought in the City of Brotherly Love, it seems safe to assume Wicks never expected a round one WR to be selected by the Eagles.
Ex-Packer Dontayvion Wicks Watched Competition Get Added to WR Room
On April 10, the Eagles acquired Wicks from the Packers in return for a 2026 fifth-round pick and a 2027 sixth-round pick. They then gave him an extension, signaling they planned to keep him around beyond the 2026 campaign, given what he can bring to the table. However, the addition of Lemon made things harder for Wicks to get on the field.
DeVonta Smith and Lemon will likely be the 1-2 punch for this team, with Brown expected to be shipped out. That means Wicks and Hollywood Brown will have to fight for the WR3 role. Philadelphia added the former Kansas City Chiefs receiver on a one-year deal that's worth up to $6.5 million.
While Wicks was the wideout to receive a larger payday from Philadelphia, nothing will be handed out. Over 46 career games (18 starts) with the Packers, Wicks had 108 catches (180 targets) for 1,328 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. It's worth noting that his receiving yards decreased in each of the last three seasons, and he never eclipsed 581 receiving yards in a single campaign.
In comparison, Brown has 371 catches, 4,322 receiving yards, and 33 touchdowns over 90 career games. The Oklahoma product had logged at least 574 receiving yards in six of his seven NFL seasons. In the lone season that he didn't go over that mark, he missed 15 games due to injury.
When you take a look at the numbers, Brown has been more consistent than Wicks. While the Eagles clearly have faith in Wicks, which is why they traded and paid him, it doesn't mean the job is his to lose. Everything has to be earned, and Lemon's addition to the room only adds another hurdle.
The Eagles felt that Lemon was too good a player to pass on. While that move raises the floor of the entire passing attack, Wicks can't be thrilled. Being around Sean Mannion will certainly help his case, but he should expect a more difficult pathway to snaps.
Philadelphia now has four quality WRs outside of A.J. Brown who can earn snaps, but if Wicks doesn't put his best foot forward, things can get spooky for him in 2026. He was stuck in a crowded receiver room in Green Bay, and it seems to be the same case with the Eagles.
More Green Bay Packers News and Rumors:
Add us as a preferred source on Google