Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Packer Plus
Watkins’ durability is one of many questions
Green Bay — This is not your father's Green Bay Packers receiver group.
For years, the Packers have been defined by their quarterback play. Passing the baton from Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers ensured three decades of constant contention. A more understated, but no less extended, strength has been their receivers.
From Sterling Sharpe to Antonio Freeman to Donald Driver to Greg Jennings to Jordy Nelson to Davante Adams, the Packers have routinely had Pro Bowl wideouts for their Hall of Fame quarterbacks to target.
This is a different year. After the Packers traded Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders this spring, their depth chart suddenly was bereft of a legitimate No. 1 receiver. Since Favre arrived in 1992, there have been only a small handful of seasons without a true No. 1.
It will be a journey to see how the Packers' receiving depth chart develops over the next several months. An eclectic position, the depth chart is mixed with tall and short, young and old, speedsters and possession types. Ultimately, the Packers need someone to emerge as a go-to playmaker, something that might require time and patience.
Wide receiver
Roster locks: Allen Lazard, Christian Watson, Randall Cobb.
Good bets: Amari Rodgers, Romeo Doubs.
On the bubble: Sammy Watkins, Samori Toure, Juwann Winfree, Malik Taylor.
Long shot: Danny Davis.
Biggest offseason move
For all the buzz signing Watkins created this offseason, his contract is structured to force the veteran former fourth overall draft pick to play his way onto the team in training camp. Watson can have a tough camp on the field and make the 53 without hesitation. That's the reality when a team ships a pair of
second-round picks to move up 19 spots. Such an investment makes clear the Packers envision Watson being their No. 1 receiver of the future, continuing the lineage after Adams was traded. Watson has great size (6-5, 208 pounds) and runs well, clocking a 4.36 40 at the NFL scouting combine. He'll need to dispel the knock of inconsistent hands, something he struggled with at times during the Packers' offseason program. As he adjusts to NFL speed, catching the football needs to become routine for the young receiver. If it does, Watson has the athleticism to be a difference maker at wideout.
Position battle
Get ready for some jockeying. Everything is up for grabs here, from the top depth chart line to who makes the 53man roster. There is nothing but opportunity in the Packers' passing game, a reality that should make every receiver
on the roster feel like they can be the main target. Anything goes here. If the Packers keep five receivers, it wouldn't be a surprise. If they keep seven, nobody would flinch. Special teams will matter at the bottom of the depth chart like always, but ultimately production will determine the first spot to the last. The Packers desperately need some playmaking.
Keep an eye on
It's easy to forget after a lost rookie season, but Amari Rodgers was a thirdround pick just last year. He was a 1,000yard receiver for one of college football's best programs at Clemson. He has an impressive lineage, his father Tee Martin a national title-winning quarterback at Tennessee and now a receivers coach for the Baltimore Ravens. There was good reason a year ago to think Rodgers would not bust. Then he fell apart as a rookie, too overwhelmed to play fast, too unconfident to avoid simple mistakes. Rodgers is not a burner, but his play speed last season did not reflect the 4.52 40 he ran at the scouting combine. The Packers need him to regain confidence and play like a third-round pick. Rodgers made a few plays in offseason workouts, including a diving touchdown catch in the end zone during minicamp. If he can use that as a springboard in training camp, it would be ideal. A resurgence from Rodgers would be a big help to the Packers' offense.
Key question
The Packers believe Watkins' ability hasn't changed much since 2017. That season, with Matt LaFleur as his offensive coordinator with the Los Angeles Rams, was both the last time Watkins was productive and healthy. Since then, Watkins has hit the “injury bug,” a litany of ailments he thought might prematurely end his career. The Packers took a flier with a one-year, incentive-laden contract to add a veteran with playmaking potential to a group that desperately needs it. The question is, can Watkins stay on the field consistently enough to make a difference in the offense?
Prediction
In 2019, Adams was the Packers' only 500-yard receiver. It was the first time since 1982 multiple receivers didn't catch more than 500 yards. Their depth improved the past two seasons with an emergence from Marquez ValdesScantling and Lazard, but MVS signed as a free agent with the Kansas City Chiefs this spring. Adams was the bulk of the Packers' passing game last season, with Lazard's 513 yards ranking second on the team. The lost production will need to be compensated somewhere, but a stout running game likely will take the brunt of that burden. It's rare for a team not to produce a 500yard receiver, though the New York Jets (Elijah Moore, 538 yards) and New York Giants (Kenny Golladay, 521) only had one last season. The Packers will not have a 500-yard receiver this fall, riding their strong running game instead.