Talking to reporters earlier this week, Matt LaFleur addressed Josh Jacobs’ comments about the team’s need for a true No. 1 receiving threat. He said they talked about the comments internally, but the takeaway is that he hopes someone in the receiving room emerges into that role. With Christian Watson rehabbing a torn ACL, the massive cherry on top of his never-ending injury struggles, finding that guy internally becomes much more difficult.
Granted, just because this is the situation now doesn’t mean it was Plan A.
There were a smaller number of top wideouts available than expected. Still, Brian Gutekunst and the front office reportedly didn’t enter the expensive D.K. Metcalf sweepstakes, speaking to their general and consistent uncomfortability with the prices at the top of the receiving market.
One thing that was clear by the end of Green Bay’s season — and further emphasized during the Philadelphia Eagles’ dominant championship run — was that the Packers much elevate themselves to another tier to be true contenders. That inspired Jacobs’ open campaign for a busy offseason and drove a lot of hope in the media and fanbase for name-brand additions that never materialized.
Heading into Year 3 under Jordan Love’s leadership, the Packers will almost certainly rely on internal talent. They hope one or two of their lower-priced in-house options make the leap and become comparable to those marquee players commanding big contracts on the free-agency market.
That’s true at the receiver position, edge rusher, and cornerback. Despite logging a workout with Xavier McKinney, Jaire Alexander remains unlikely to return in 2025, leaving a massive void in the cornerback room. The depth behind Alexander is a huge uncertainty. The only noteworthy addition, former Las Vegas Raiders corner Nate Hobbs, has specialized in the slot and battled a lengthy injury history.
With All-Pro return specialist Keisean Nixon and 2023 seventh-rounder Carrington Valentine rounding out the room, it doesn’t feel like a group ready to face Justin Jefferson, D.J. Moore, and Amon-Ra St. Brown in the NFC North, let alone take the team on a run.
A failing defense, particularly in the secondary, is something we saw repeatedly stifle prime Aaron Rodgers in the playoffs. Drafting Alexander was, at long last, a big part of the solution to that enduring problem. With Alexander’s time appearing to be up, certainty and confidence are on their way out of the room with him. That isn’t to say the team’s frustrations with his availability are invalid. Instead, moving on from him should have brought about more urgency on the open market, where bigger names like D.J. Reed, Charvarius Ward, and Paulson Adebo were there for the taking.
This offseason’s relative inaction has set up the draft, located for the first time ever in Green Bay, as the last opportunity to make significant additions. While it’s precarious to rely on rookies who have yet to be named in key roles, it feels inevitable that some will have to perform if this team is going to make the type of leap that Gutekunst believes it is time for.
First-round picks haven’t gone too well lately. Jordan Morgan had an uneventful rookie year, Lukas Van Ness hasn’t put the pieces together yet, Quay Walker and Devonte Wyatt have shown flashes but can’t be declared smash hits. Eric Stokes now plays for the Raiders after a grueling injury derailed his promising start. It feels quite likely that the first-rounder announced at Lambeau Field later this month will be a raw edge-rusher or defensive back with good peripherals and strong physical makeup.
Regardless of who Gutekunst drafts in a few weeks, they will be relied upon heavily to drive the team’s ascent to true contender. That would come as a major disappointment to any Packers fan if they learned about it directly after the loss in Philadelphia.
At the wide receiver position, it will have to be one of Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, and Dontayvion Wicks, who rises to No. 1 status. It feels most likely for Reed, given his dynamic upside. However, it feels like a big ask for a 5’11” guy who the Packers have primarily used as a gadget player.
At edge rusher, one of Van Ness, Kingsley Enagbare, or Brenton Cox — Cox being a long shot — will need to take a leap alongside Rashan Gary, who must reclaim his elite status. And at cornerback, it will have to be a combination of Nixon, Valentine, and Hobbs.
That’s a lot of straight-up hope as a strategy for multiple premium positions. In a division that has woken up since the Rodgers era, it’s fair to ask if that will cut it.
