Packers’ Receivers: Three Familiar Faces and Two New Tight Ends
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Wide Receivers
Let’s get right to it. The Green Bay Packers have three starting-quality wide receivers, but virtually no depth behind them. This should be a major concern, especially since injuries caused the Packers to clear the bench in its last two playoff losses just to fill the receiver positions.
Jordy Nelson is as steady as they come. No worries for two or three more years.
Following last season, I reviewed the year Davante Adams had. It was a good year and as long as Jordy is on the field, Adams should be able to repeat his production of right around 1,000 regular-season receiving yards. His size and athleticism might prevent him from ascending much beyond that mark, but he did the acclaimed “step-up” in his third season in the league.
Randall Cobb has been injured often and has had two sub-par years in a row. He’s small without being real fast, but he’s a good fit as slot receiver. It’s time we see some semblance of the 2014 Cobb, which led to him getting a $10 million per year four-year contract.
Sorry, but I just don’t see Trevor Davis, Geronimo Allison or Jeff Janis contributing much in 2017. If any of the three does, it will likely be Allison, who the coaches and QB dote on. Max McCaffrey and Antwan Goodley also show up on the depth chart.
The Packers would be wise to draft a receiver in the first three rounds of this year’s draft. Age will be creeping up on Nelson and the backup situation is utterly inadequate if injuries once again strike the group.
Tight Ends
The team is pretty well set at tight end, with all three players a good bet to make the roster and little need to seek out a fourth. Personnel-wise, the only question is whether the second tight end will be Rodgers or Kendricks.
We well know of Rodgers’ speed limitations and poor blocking, though he is dependable and sure-handed.
Kendricks, a former Wisconsin Badgers’ star, labored for six years with the Rams, with his yearly receiving yardage varying from 245 to 519. In 2016, his yardage total was 499. The Rams, with QBs Case Keenum and Jared Goff, had the next-to-last passing yards in the NFL, 2,951. At age 29, think of Kendricks as a role player.
There’s one open question regarding tight end, as has already been discussed: now that the Packers have a proven big name right end in Bennett, will they finally make full use of his talent?
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With all the needs on defense, i don’t think we can use the 1st 3 rounds to draft a wr, but that’s just me. If were going to draft offense in those rounds, better to go with replacing Lang, which is far more of a concern imo.
The problem i have with Cobb, is ever since he signed his (overpaid) deal, his production has fallen off the map. I remember him insisting on top pay because of one strong season, well, what happened to top production? His catch rate in 2015 was a notch below horrible. Someone please tell me how a wr is worth 10 million for 600 yards and 4 tds. His average dropped off the cliff the last two seasons. He no longer gets yards after the catch. Because of dead cap money, we have him for another year. But sooner or later, we have to right the wrongs of our General Manager. The 1st step should be showing him the door.
Time and time again, i’m talking about another of Ted’s signings, underperforming their contract. Ted talks with so much pride about signing his own. In reality, it’s not much of an accomplishment when you consider he drowns them in money to accomplish it.
Ted has talked about it’s better to get rid of a player a year early than a year late. If Ted followed his own advice, he would have resigned in 2010.
The Packers do have 4 starting quality WRs. The problem is one of those is a RB. The good thing about Montgomery in the backfield is the offense can force the opposing defense into some poor coverage matchups. Remember Lacy or Starks lining up at the sideline. It never worked against even average linebackers. Very few defenses will not be in trouble if they flex a linebacker out wide to cover Montgomery.
I like the mismatches and impact plays Montgomery can force (for himself and others) in the pass game more than the impact plays Montgomery can produce in the run game.
“We have three starting-quality wide receivers…*
And how many did you expect to have? I don’t see other teams having even that number. But yeah, the only ways to have more starting-quality receivers are (i) having had a good draft or two and thus not paying starter money to some of them (ii) spending a ton of money on WRs at the expense of other positions.
About Adams, he has a similar size to James Jones. His lack of top speed will likely prevent him from reaching WR1 accomplishments, but he can be a good WR2 and a better WR3. And no, having had to play WR1 does not mean he does not pose the threats a true WR1 poses (speed to take it to the house if a catch is made, good hands, ability to get the contested ball). A true WR1 will command the attention of two guys and still get some catches. Cobb, for instance drowned under double coverage.