The wide receiver market has been rather slow this season. The Green Bay Packers already lost Romeo Doubs to the New England Patriots, but that doesn't mean they should be done shedding bodies from their crowded wide receiver room.
With big names like Stefon Diggs, Tyreek Hill, Jauan Jennings, and Deebo Samuel still unsigned, one thing has become crystal clear: teams don't want to overpay for aging wide receivers, most likely because of the stacked wide receiver class in this year's draft.
However, only a small group of teams will be able to get their hands on the pass catchers they covet, giving the Packers a valuable trade chip in Dontayvion Wicks, who's on a cheap contract and has shown some upside.
The Packers Should Test Dontayvion Wicks's Market
For years, the Packers drew criticism for having way too many Robins and no Batmans in the WR room. Christian Watson has all the tools to be a true star, but his injury-proneness has stood in the way more often than not. Now, with Doubs gone, they have a perfect opportunity to start fresh.
Having too many mouths to feed isn't always the best approach. The Packers used a first-round pick on Matthew Golden last season, taking a wideout within the first 32 picks for the first time since 2002. For context, they never drafted a wide receiver in the first round during Aaron Rodgers's tenure with the team.
As such, it's time they see what they can do with the speedster out of Texas. Golden's rookie season was a mixed bag, and while he had some mishaps, it was also due to limited usage. Head coach Matt LaFleur acknowledged that some players were unhappy with their roles, and trading Wicks would help two people at once.
On one hand, Golden would have fewer competitors for touches. On the other hand, Wicks would finally have the green light to show what he can do without having to rotate in and out of the field with Jayden Reed, Doubs, Watson, Golden, Malik Heath, and even Savion Williams.
Wicks has shown he can make an impact, even if it's on a limited sample size. He hauled in 62.5 percent of his passes last season, and he's had at least two touchdown receptions in every year he's been in the league despite starting just 18 of 46 games.
The Packers could capitalize on Wicks's expiring deal, knowing they're unlikely to bring him back next season anyway. While they can't get a ton of value for him, picking up another late-round draft selection would probably help them add another body to a position of need. Their surplus of wide receivers hasn't done much to help them anyway, as the results have shown.
With Tucker Kraft returning, Christian Watson fully healthy, and Matthew Golden having a full season under his belt, this team should be more than ready to roll in the passing game. Jayden Reed can round things up in the starting lineup, making Wicks more of an asset than a dependable piece of the rotation out wide.
Moving on from Wicks will also allow the Packers' pass catchers to get into a rhythm rather than constantly rotating and never truly getting a feel of the offense. And if someone else is willing to give up draft capital to get a player they don't need to begin with, even better.