It’s not a pleasant experience for NFL teams to lose talent in free agency, but it happens every year. The Green Bay Packers are no exception. They could not agree with Davante Adams (former wide receiver) on a long-term deal.
Well, to put it simply, the Packers and Adams were not seeing eye-to-eye financially. Hence, this forced the team to place the franchise tag on him this season.
And now that Davante Adams is gone, the Green Bay Packers face a huge problem: a severe wide receiver talent deficiency. That’s something they must address as soon as possible.
They Need Two Wide Receivers
Of course, it’s not ideal for bringing your players in free agency. However, when you don’t have enough salary caps, that’s all you can do. And this is the case for the Green Bay Packers this season.
The Packers started the year with about a $50 million salary cap. But because of the smart moves done by Brian Gutekunst (general manager), they’re below the cap due. Still, they were able to re-sign Rasul Douglas and De’Vondre Campbell.
Even so, there are many things to do, particularly at wide receiver. Besides Davante Adams, wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling wasn’t able to come back. He recently signed with the Kansas City Chiefs.
So, as you can see, with Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling gone, the Green Bay Packers will need to bring in two veterans.
Green Bay’s Options
The Green Bay Packers took a significant risk by letting go of Adams and MVS. As a result, they’re in a tough spot and now severely want wide receiver depth. So, what are their options?
Free Agents
Well, they can sign two wide receivers in free agency. The advantage of this is that they can get two veterans already familiar with the NFL and could make an immediate impact. And that’s what they need right now, players who can come in and contribute right away.
The downside is that free agency is always a crapshoot. You never know how players are going to perform once they change teams. And the Packers have been burned by signing big-name free agents in the past. So, it’s a risky proposition.
Trade
Another option is to explore the possibility of trading for a wide receiver. This move has its advantages and disadvantages as well. On the plus side, you can get a player already familiar with your system, and you don’t have to worry about him being a bust. The downside is that you may have to give up some valuable assets to get him.
If the Packers are going this route, they might want to sign Terry McLaurin. The Washington Commanders star is the most recent name linked to the NFL trade rumors.
Here are Terry McLaurin’s game statistics:
• 16 touchdowns
• 3,090 receiving yards
• 222 receptions
With outstanding performance, Terry McLaurin won’t only give the Packers the vertical threat it needs. But he can make contested catches and move the chains. Getting him would cost a lot. However, the talent outweighs the cost. The NFL Super Bowl Odds of the Packers will undoubtedly increase if McLaurin gets acquired.
NFL Draft
Another option is to take a wide receiver in the 2022 NFL Draft. The Packers have two picks in the first and second round of the upcoming Mock Draft. And they should use these opportunities to pick up the next star wide receiver of the team.
The good news is that the top of the draft is flowing with wide receiver talent. That means the Packers should be able to find a quality receiver, including Jameson Williams from Alabama, Treylon Burks from Arkansas, and Chris Olave from Ohio State.
Plus, considering the current stockpile of Green Bay, the team can be bold enough to acquire one or two of them.
Chris Olave is an explosive pass catcher and an exceptional route runner. Aaron Rodgers demands greatness from his wide receivers. In particular, he wants his pass catchers to run, be in the correct spot at the right time and run good routes.
And Olave has that ability, making him a perfect fit for the Packers’ offense. On the other hand, Treylon Burks is quite similar to Chris Olave. He’s a great route runner and played in one of the best college conferences. While he doesn’t have top-end speed, Burks is a great receiver who could be a steal in the draft.
Jameson Williams can accelerate through the ball and run after the catch. He doesn’t slow down and takes the right angles.
Takeaway
Heading into the 2022 NFL Mock Draft, the Green Bay Packers face some urgency in acquiring talented wide receivers. With Adams and MVs departing, the Packers need to address the wide receiver position in the draft. The Packers have many options at their disposal, and it will be interesting to see how they use their picks to address this need.